The Education Minister is waiting for the Canterbury Earthquake Royal Commission to report back before considering a national survey of all school buildings in the country.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister says the Christchurch City Council has wasted an opportunity in deciding to save the Town Hall, instead of building a new performing arts precinct.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister is giving the Christchurch City Council until this morning to approve a major land development plan otherwise he'll force it through himself.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister has given the Christchurch City Council until this morning to approve a development plan, or else he says he'll do it for them.
Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has backed off on his threats to the Christchurch City Council and one of the New Zealand Greenpeace activists is freed from a Russian detention centre.
The Christchurch City Council says it has reached a compromise with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, and voted unanimously to support a plan to intensify housing in the city.
The declaration by the Finance Minister that all spending is now under review has prompted warnings that the Christchurch earthquake should not be used to push through unpopular policies.
The Social Development Minister says staff are having to be flexible when deciding what financial support those caught up in the Christchurch earthquake are eligible for.
Parliament has unanimously supported legislation giving Government ministers the power to make exemptions to almost every law on the statute books, to help fast-track reconstruction efforts in Canterbury.
Around a hundred million dollars has been earmarked by Cabinet as its initial contribution to Canterbury following the earthquake, but the Prime MInister says the final bill will be far higher.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, is offside with the business community in Christchurch over the decision to permanently relocate nearly 500 public servants outside of the central business district.
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.
Mayor Bob Parker, Sam Johnson, leader of the Student Volunteer Army, Prime Minister John Key and UCSA president Nick McDonnell at an event to thank the Student Volunteer Army.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch earthquake. Canterbury University. Steven Joyce Tertiary Education Minister's visit to Central Library. Earthquake damage to books and shelves".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch earthquake. Canterbury University. Steven Joyce Tertiary Education Minister's visit to Central Library. Earthquake damage to books and shelves".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Prime Minister John Key and Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker during the Band Together concert for Canterbury at Hagley Park".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Earthquake cleanup in Dallington. Transport Minister Steven Joyce (right) and other officials inspecting damage on Avonside Drive at Dallington".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Prime Minister John Key visited Christchurch after its 7.1 magnitude earthquake at 0435 Saturday morning. Mayor Bob Parker".
Prime Minister John Key tells the Minister for Earthquake recovery, Gerry Brownlee, to 'fill it in before it climbs back out!' Gerry Brownlee is sweeping rubble into a deep pit. The rubble represents many of the problems that New Zealand faces like Pike River, earthquakes, the Rena, child abuse, Winston Peters, gas pipeline damage and so on. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Education minister Anne Tolley, local National list MP Kate Wilkinson and Kaiapoi Borough School Principal Ash Maindonald discuss earthquake damage".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch earthquake. Canterbury University. Steven Joyce Tertiary Education Minister's visit to Central Library. Earthquake damage to books, shelves and ceiling".
With Andrew Cleland - Chief Executive of the Institution of Professional Engineers NZ. Dr Maan Alkaisi - Co-chair Christchurch Earthquake Families Group. Maurice Williamson - Minister for Building and Construction.
The Christchurch City Council has received a strong warning from the Earthquake Recovery Minister to speed up its processing of building consents or lose its power to authorise consents.
The Treasury is forecasting the Christchurch earthquake will slow economic activity and the Finance Minister says the forecast 11-billion dollar Budget deficit this year will also climb.
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister has been forced to concede he's received official advice on the Christchurch City Council selling some of its assets to help pay for rebuilding the city.
Christchurch councillor Raf Manji announces plans to stand against Earthquake Minister Gerry Brownlee in Ilam at the general election. He tells John Campbell why he is standing as an independent.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch Earthquake aftermath. Prime Minister John Key talks to media about a relief funding package. Behind is Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch earthquake. Canterbury University. Steven Joyce Tertiary Education Minister's visit to Central Library. Earthquake damage to computers and shelves and ceiling".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Minister of Education Anne Tolley visits Montessori Casa Dei Bambini preschool after the Christchurch earthquake. Pictured with Jessica Jennings aged 4".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch earthquake. Canterbury University. Steven Joyce Tertiary Education Minister's visit to Central Library. Earthquake damage to computers and shelves and ceiling".