Opposition parties fear a new department to control the rebuilding of Christchurch will be Wellington-centric and not allow the community to have its fair say in decisions. The Labour Party's spokesperson on the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery, Clayton Cosgrove, spoke to our political editor Brent Edwards.
The Opposition is accusing the Government of a slash-and-burn approach to spending, in the wake of the Christchurch earthquake. Prime Minister John Key says he wants no new spending in this year's Budget, and admits that will mean cuts in some areas.
Labour MPs say it's important party sticks to strategy, Man shot dead by police near Napier, Thousands attend Westminister Christchurch memorial, Twickenham packed for Crusaders vs Sharks match, Doubt in Christchurch new earthquake agency worthwhile, and Canterbury aged care firms want certainty; families want beds.
Three time capsules recovered from the ruins of Christchurch in the days following the February earthquake have been opened. Two came from the John Robert Godley statue plinth in front of the Christchurch Cathedral, while the other came from the old civic building on Manchester Street.
We join Deb, Vincy and the rest of the Ballantynes crew on a coach trip south from Christchurch to its Timaru store. Its flagship store on City Mall has been shut since the February earthquake, so twice a week a convoy of coaches full of loyal customers does the 350km round trip.
Alison Wilson has run stitching and dressmaking courses in Christchurch for 60 years! At 78 she is still going, with a weekly embroidery course that gives Christchurch women a reprieve from the chaos of the earthquakes. With Alison Wilson, Gina Walsh and Lola Grocott.
Topics - A poll on the Stuff website has asked Christchurch residents whether they would stay or go, following the latest earthquakes there. Pupils and staff at Auckland's King's College have been offered counselling following the fourth death of a student in 17 months.
In response to the Canterbury earthquakes, the Government has built two villages in the suburbs of Linwood and Kaiapoi to provide temporary accomodation for those who've lost their homes. Our Christchurch correspondent, Katy Gosset, visited the Linwood Village and spoke to residents as they prepared for Christmas.
National Manager Special Operations, New Zealand Fire Service, who lead the Urban Search and Rescue Teams in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake. He then lead the New Zealand USAR team which travelled to Northern Japan to assist after the earthquake and tsunami there.
In 1987, Jack Perkins recorded an award-winning documentary capturing the life, the sounds and the personalities of Cathedral Square in Christchurch. Thirty years on, Deborah Nation parallels that experience with the sounds of September 2011 as engineer Gabrielle Parker escorts her Shrough the earthquake Red Zone into the square as it is today.
One of the defining images of the Christchurch earthquake has been the photo of an ash covered Shane Tomlin, pulled alive from a bakery in Cashel Mall. His mother Doreen Tomlin, says she only realised her son had been rescued when she saw his photo on the front page of The Press.
Earthquake bus survivor, Mike Ardagh - Christchurch Hospital, Reporter Erina O'Donohue live from Christchurch, Where to obtain water, Murray McCully thanks international community, Cowles Stadium welfare centre closed, Man escapes from 12th floor of Forsyth Barr building, Aussie medics set up field hospital, Schools need significant rebuilding and Fourteen supermarkets closed in Christchurch.
A scheme called Crack'd for Christchurch wants to make a beautiful memorial out of the fine china broken in the earthquake. Jenny Cooper is one of a group of people who plan to create an inner-city mosaic that is an art work in its own right, but also acts as a memorial to old Christchurch.
John Key wants inquiry into collapse of buildings; Police update on latest from Christchurch emergency; Cordon update; More budget cuts in store after Christchurch earthquake; Attention turns to shape of new Christchurch CBD; Clifton Hills residents able to go home after evacuations; Quake Minister says ten thousand homes may be written off.
Our Christchurch features producer, Kary Gosset has a story from one of the worst affected areas from the Feb 22 earthquake. Sumner has frequently been in the news with images of its crumbled cliffs, and Sumner is where Katy Gosset lives. This is her latest snapshot at where her suburb is at.
Survivor Nick Walls, who was pulled from the rubble of the Pyne Gould Corporation building, says his life will change as a result of the earthquake. From his bedside in the Christchurch hospital's orthopeadic ward he explained to our reporter Lorna Perry what he was doing when the earth shook.
Survivor Nick Walls, who was pulled from the rubble of the Pyne Gould Corporation building, says his life will change as a result of the earthquake. From his bedside in the Christchurch hospital's orthopeadic ward he explained to our reporter Lorna Perry what he was doing when the earth shook.
The EQC undertook a rapid assessment of houses over a week ago and say they are confident they will get round all the residences in the Christchurch area within its eight week timeframe. Some Christchurch residents who say they are frustrated and angry about the lack of communication from the Earthquake Commission.
Plumbers say EQC paying bills too slowly, Earthquake Commission defends its claim process, Events centre, not stimulus package, for West Coast, Harawira calls meeting to consider forming new party, Government, Auckland council split over development, Search work in Christchurch central city nears completion, Power in South Christchurch threatened by cut cable.
Some residents in one of Christchurch's worst affected suburbs doubt a new government agency will help their earthquake recovery. An announcement about a new department is expected within days but some of those still severely affected question the setting up of a new bureaucracy.
Legal aid changes incense legal fraternity, No eftpos available at Rugby World Cup, Japan says radiation declining but crisis matches Chernobyl, Government budgets $8.5 billion to rebuild Christchurch, Unanimous support over earthquake powers breaks down, and Maori Party MP says using police in oil protest extreme.
Christchurch has unveiled an ambitious $2 billion plan to re-create the central city as a green, people friendly, low rise zone, inside a garden. Almost six months on from the destructive February earthquake most of the centre still sits cordoned off, and half the buildings need to come down.
The Royal Commission into the Canterbury Earthquakes has heard evidence questioning the measure used to judge how resistant a building is to earthquake damage. It's come on the second day of hearings into why unreinforced masonry buildings collapsed in Christchurch during the February 22nd earthquake, killing 40 people.
In Christchurch the Court Theatre is about to reopen, more than nine months after the earthquake ruined its inner city premises. The country's most successful professional theatre, which used to be in the 19th century gothic style Arts Centre, has moved to a shed in the suburbs.
What impact are the earthquakes having on secondary students' education? Lynn Freeman talks to Principal of Avonside Girls High School, Sue Hume, and NZQA Deputy Chief Executive, Bali Haque. We also hear from John Bangma, President of the Canterbury Primary Principals' Association, on how primary students are coping.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Gloucester Street".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Gloucester Street looking across Manchester Street".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Gloucester Street looking across where the TVNZ building was".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Manchester Street - where the Civic centre was".
More pressure on interested bidders in the Pike River mine to recover the bodies, from both the government and unions. The government's new plan to strengthen infrastructure after the Canterbury earthquakes, it's already criticised for not going far enough and the AA again attacks petrol companies for not cutting prices, despite falling oil prices.