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.
A photograph of wrapped up mattresses and boxes of tracksuits from the Red Cross in Cowles Stadium. The stadium served as temporary accommodation for refugees from the 4 September earthquake. These mattresses and tracksuits were given to people whose belongings were destroyed or unreachable.
Shows a graph illustrating the 'Growth forecast' for the economy. A large finger representing the 'Reserve Bank' squashes the growth arrow as though it is a fly and it starts to zig-zag crazily downwards. The statement made 16th September looked a shadow of the bright one the Reserve Bank published three months ago. With its forecasts finalised the day before the Canterbury earthquake struck, the Bank has taken secateurs to its economic growth track, and a carving knife to its interest rate path. Instead of GDP growth pushing 4% this year and next, for example, it now struggles to reach 3% in each. It's tempting to think this has been driven by the wobbling international news over recent months. In fact it's been because of a suddenly sombre view around NZ consumer spending and the housing market. (Interest.co.nz) Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).