The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has heard that evidence crucial to working out what caused the collapse of the Canterbury Television Building, was destroyed by the firm which oversaw its design.
Christchurch Hospital has just celebrated its 150th anniversary. The major medical facility is in the heart of the city, beside Hagley Park, and played a key role in the February earthquake, treating the many who were seriously injured. Christchurch correspondent Katy Gosset discovers the hospital faces its own quake-related challenges as it plans for the future.
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority wants private insurers to provide homeowners with clear timeframes for when earthquake repairs will be carried out.
The High Court in Christchurch has ruled the Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee was wrong to use his special powers to fast track housing development following the earthquakes.
DAVID SHEARER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement “My expectations are that this will be a busy, hard three years’ work and we will need to deliver results for New Zealanders”? Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that “we don’t favour one group over another”? PAUL GOLDSMITH to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on housing affordability? GRANT ROBERTSON to the Prime Minister: When his office had a “quick look at the matters involved” with regard to the funding of the Mackenzie Sustainable Futures Trust, whom did they speak to and what documents did they look at to arrive at their conclusion that “we did not find anything that raised concerns to us”? MELISSA LEE to the Minister for Social Development: What initiatives has the Government put in place to better protect children? ANDREW WILLIAMS to the Minister of Finance: Does the Government still intend to achieve a budget surplus by 2014/15; if so, how? GARETH HUGHES to the Minister of Energy and Resources: Does he stand by his statement on the Campbell Live 9 February programme on fracking that, “In Taranaki, it’s actually been done very, very well. There’s been no effect on the environment whatsoever”? Dr JIAN YANG to the Minister of Health: What progress has been made in providing improved child health services? Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement regarding migration to Australia “What’s the point of standing in the airport crying about it?”; if so, how many of the 158,167 people that have migrated to Australia since November 2008, as reported by Statistics NZ, are from 18 to 30 years of age in number and percentage terms? COLIN KING to the Minister of Science and Innovation: How will the Advanced Technology Institute boost business-led research and development? Hon LIANNE DALZIEL to the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery: Why did he use section 27 of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act 2011 to amend the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement instead of using the Order in Council provisions of the Act or developing the recovery strategy or a recovery plan? SHANE ARDERN to the Minister for Primary Industries: What recent announcements has he made to further improve New Zealand’s biosecurity system?
An earthquake engineer has told the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission that the intense vertical shaking during the February 2011 earthquake wasn't unique and was similar to events overseas.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister says he's sick of insurance companies giving baseless excuses for delaying earthquake claims in Christchurch .
The Insurance Council says it can give Cantabrians a guarantee that insurers will go as fast as they can to settle earthquake-related claims.
Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee says insurers have obligations under their policies.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, says he's lost patience with the private insurance industry over delays in settling quake related claims.
Co-founders of Gap Filler, a creative urban regeneration initiative started in Canterbury in response to the earthquakes.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says Christchurch will be a better city.
The man who documented the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquakes with the film 'When A City Falls' says this week's plan for a new Christchurch CBD will forge a new path for the damaged city.
An engineer who worked for the company that designed the CTV building, has criticised the attitude of his former boss at the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission.
As the first of a series of Government earthquake buy-out offers approach their deadline, some home-owners in Christchurch's residential red zone are pleading for more time.
The downpours have added yet another problem for Christchurch residents living in earthquake-stricken homes.
TODD McCLAY to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on progress in building a faster-growing economy? GRANT ROBERTSON to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in his Ministers; if so, why? Dr PAUL HUTCHISON to the Minister of Health: What progress can he report on the numbers of patients receiving elective surgery? JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister for Social Development: Does she stand by her answer to oral questions on Tuesday that "There is in New Zealand no actual poverty line" and "I do not see the measurement as a priority"? Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Prime Minister: Does he agree with the statement made by the Hon Bill English, in relation to the release of Natasha Fuller's private details by his Social Development Minister, that, "People who enter into public debate are welcome to do so … and should provide their full information to the public"? CHRIS AUCHINVOLE to the Minister of Broadcasting: What percentage of households in Hawkes Bay and on the West Coast of the South Island have gone digital ahead of the digital switchover in these regions on 30 September? CHARLES CHAUVEL to the Minister of Justice: What assistance will be available to families unable to afford the fee of over $900 she proposes to introduce in order to access the new Family Dispute Resolution Service? JOHN HAYES to the Minister for Courts: In light of the opening of the temporary courthouse in Masterton last week, what is the range of services that courts can now offer in Masterton? DENIS O'ROURKE to the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery: Was restoration of the Christchurch Cathedral included in the Christchurch Central City Recovery Plan; if not, why not? SUE MORONEY to the Minister of Women's Affairs: Is she satisfied with the action this Government has taken to improve the lives of women in New Zealand? JAN LOGIE to the Minister for Social Development: Is she concerned that Wellington Rape Crisis is shutting its doors one day a week because of funding shortfalls? IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY to the Minister of Transport: Which commuter rail services, if any, do not receive funding from the New Zealand Transport Agency?
The Christchurch City Council is proposing a rate increase of more than 7 percent to help cover the rebuild of the city's earthquake damaged infrastructure.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee is denying accusations he's about to engineer a central government takeover of the rebuild of central city Christchurch.
Canadian expert on the development of healthy communities in British Columbia is in New Zealand to explore possibilities for contributing to the rebuilding of a resilient Christchurch following the earthquake and aftershocks.
After a year's earthquake-enforced absence, the New Zealand International Jazz and Blues Festival is back and opens in Christchurch this evening.
A freshwater biologist says a tsunami of sediment and sand caused by the Canterbury earthquakes is choking the city's riverbeds and killing aquatic life.
The worst of the exodus from Christchurch after last year's earthquakes is over, according to a group which studies population trends.
DAVID SHEARER to the Prime Minister: Does he believe that Hon John Banks has behaved in a manner that “upholds, and is seen to uphold the highest ethical standards” as required by the Cabinet Manual? BARBARA STEWART to the Prime Minister: Did Mr Banks explain to the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff that he would use “obfuscation” in his dealings with the media over the “anonymous” donations from Kim Dotcom? MAGGIE BARRY to the Minister of Finance: How does the Government intend to strengthen the Public Finance Act 1989 in the Budget this month? Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Finance: In the most recent World Economic Outlook published by the IMF in April 2012, which of the 34 advanced economies listed is forecast to have a worse current account deficit (as a percentage of GDP) than New Zealand in 2013? METIRIA TUREI to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all the answers he gave to Oral Question No 4 yesterday? KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI to the Minister for Economic Development: What action is the Government taking to improve co-ordination of the business growth agenda? Hon PHIL GOFF to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: What damage, if any, has been done to staff confidence and retention by the change proposals for his Ministry announced on 23 February 2012, and does he intend to announce on 10 May 2012 a reversal of many of the proposals? SIMON O'CONNOR to the Minister of Labour: What steps is the Government taking to improve workplace health and safety? GARETH HUGHES to the Minister of Conservation: Does her proposed extension of the Marine Mammal Sanctuary for Maui’s dolphins allow the use of set nets, drift nets, and trawl nets within the sanctuary? IAN McKELVIE to the Minister of Corrections: What reports has she received about trade training within prisons? Hon LIANNE DALZIEL to the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery: Has he required that all his Ministers involved in the Canterbury earthquake recovery read the briefing paper dated 10 May 2011 prepared by Chief Science Advisor, Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, into the psychosocial consequences of the Canterbury earthquakes; if not, why not? NIKKI KAYE to the Minister of Education: What evidence has she seen of excellent achievement in scholarship exams?
17 jobs have gone at the Christchurch Art Gallery, which is closed for earthquake repairs until at least June next year.
The Christchurch city council is reconsidering its plan to dump five thousand tonnes of asbestos contaminated rubble in Bottle Lake Forest Park landfill which has been reopened to take earthquake debris.
One of the Christchurch suburbs badly hit in the Canterbury earthquakes is being rebranded as the Sydenham Quarter - a future haven for artists, artisans and industrialists alike.
In today's news, the last two former directors of Bridgecorp are sentenced, and details on the fate of more Christchurch earthquake damaged land.
A group of angry Christchurch locals are considering legal action against one of the country's biggest insurance companies because they say their earthquake claims are taking too long to settle.
Sam Harvey says that holding on to grace is one of the things that keeps him striving towards his calling to help others. He's a young pastor of the Beach Campus of Grace Vineyard Church in Christchurch, and moved to the city on the eve of the first earthquake. Sonia Sly finds out what it takes to adhere to the faith during difficult times, and candidly asks about God's voice, New Zealand's attitude to Christianity, and the process of healing through exorcism.