No 8, Merchants of Fine Wine

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A digitally manipulated photograph of a building on Poplar Lane. The photographer comments, "I felt that this building had a real Italian feel about it. It is actually in Christchurch, New Zealand. It appears on the list to be partially demolished after the Christchurch earthquake, so it might not be around for much longer".

Everything’s coming up roses (and lilies and jasmine and violets)

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a man or woman in possession of natural body odour is most definitely in want of something to cover it up. At least, in today’s society, it certainly seems to be considered unacceptable … Continue reading →

Evening Business for 20 September 2011

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Christchurch-based insurer, AMI, says it won't be until June next year before it knows the final cost of earthquake claims, though the company's confident it won't need to draw on the government's backstop support package.

Dallington 8

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph captioned, "So it's been an eventful couple of years. I think the first earthquake, it was just so totally unexpected. You went to bed one night and when you woke up - in just a few seconds- everything was different than it had been before".

School closures driven by need to reduce number of schools

Audio, Radio New Zealand

It's been revealed earthquake damage was only one factor considered by the Ministry of Education when it decided to close schools in Christchurch and that it was just as much to do with reducing the overall number of schools in the city.

Cathedral a 'monument to procrastination'

Articles, TV3

Bob Parker can't believe it's been nearly six years since the ChristChurch Cathedral was almost destroyed by an earthquake, and still it sits there.

Photograph by Jocelyn Kinghorn 1904

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Detail of the fence around the 'Ark of Hope' by Wongi Wilson in Sydenham Square, corner of Brougham and Colombo Streets. A sign reading "In the end it will be alright - if it is not alright, it is not the end." has been attached to the fence.

Silkannthreades 25/2/2014: It's all turned to custard..... remix

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

An entry from Gallivanta's blog for 25 February 2014 entitled, "It's all turned to custard..... remix".

The Press doing their job and doing it well - academic

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The earthquake recovery minister, Gerry Brownlee, has called The Press newspaper the enemy of Christchurch's recovery.

Elderly find it difficult to come to terms with quake

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The elderly are finding it difficult to come to terms with the Christchurch earthquake and its aftermath.

New audio of Christchurch quake at the moment it hit

Audio, Radio New Zealand

When the destructive February earthquake hit Christchurch, one of our reporters, Bridget Mills, was recording an interview at the very moment the earth started shaking.

New audio of Christchurch quake at the moment it hit

Audio, Radio New Zealand

When the destructive February earthquake hit Christchurch, one of our reporters, Bridget Mills, was recording an interview at the very moment the earth started shaking.

Prime Minister says Labour writing cheques it can't afford

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Prime Minister says the Labour Party is threatening to write cheques the country can't afford with its Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Package.

Founders of Chch's post-quake market take it to Kaikoura

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The founders of a post-quake farmers market in Christchurch have taken the idea to Kaikoura, and has set up shop in the earthquake hit town.

EQC knew wall was unsafe before it collapsed killing two

Audio, Radio New Zealand

It's been revealed that the Earthquake Commission knew a wall which crushed two people in Christchurch's February earthquake was at risk of collapsing.

Supporters of Christchurch town hall hopeful it will be saved

Audio, Radio New Zealand

People who want the Christchurch Town Hall restored are optimistic the City Council will today commit to saving the earthquake damaged building.

"Hey Phil... It's a 'Dear John' letter..." 8 September 2010

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

The Queen tells Prince Philip that she has received a 'Dear John' letter from PM John Key and that it 'seems the earth has moved for him back in NZ'. Text above reads 'Keynote'. In a second version the queen says that John Key 'preferred to stay at home 'cos the earth moved'. A third version refers to the decision of the PM to remain in New Zealand because of the Christchurch earthquake instead of going on a trip to Europe with his wife during which they were to have stayed at the invitation of the Queen at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Quantity: 3 digital cartoon(s).

Dallington 15

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph captioned, "It's weird, it's very random. There were some beautiful houses here and now they are gone".

Christchurch Earthquake 2011 - Catholic Cathedral's Mother Mary

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

When I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. And in my hour of darkness She is standing right in front of me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Let it be, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be. Lennon/McCartney - The Beatles

Christchurch's always controversial Cathedral

Audio, Radio New Zealand

It was so nearly lost. As the Christ Church Anglican Cathedral is being rebuilt, historian Edmund Bohan is releasing a history of the distinctive Gothic building. It shows it was controversial even before work started on designing it, let alone building in. From the laying of the foundations to the official opening, it took 40 years, after squabbles over pretty much every aspect of its construction - not to mention the huge problems raising the money to build it in the City Centre. In Heart of the City: The Story of Christchurch's Controversial Cathedral, Edmund is critical of the former Anglican Bishop Victoria Matthews' determination to demolish the badly-damaged cathedral after the Canterbury earthquakes, to replace it with a modern church. And he tells Lynn Freeman he's very much looking forward to seeing the Cathedral restored to its former glory after a lengthy and pricey rebuild. But first he sets the scene. Back in the 1860s, there was controversy over where the cathedral should go, its design, whether it should be in stone or timber - even if there should be a cathedral built at all! Heart of the City: The Story of Christchurch's Controversial Cathedral, by Edmund Bohan is published by Quentin Wilson Publishing.

Organ rising from the rubble

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Canterbury organist Martin Setchell gives the inaugural recital on an organ that’s more than 100 years old. He explains how the instrument survived the February 22nd earthquake even though the church crumbled around it, why it was important to save it, and how the latest technology has being integrated into the restored organ..

New earthquake authority announced

Audio, Radio New Zealand

"Extraordinary powers for extraordinary times."The Government says that's what it's giving to the new Christchurch earthquake authority it's set up to lead the rebuild.

Broken River revisited

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A year after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch, Simon Morton revisits the Avon River to see how life's progressing along it and in it.

'It's very emotional': Two children who lost parents in Christchurch earth…

Articles, Videos, TV3

"It can be years down the track that things pop up, you know, you just can't ask him a question."

Christchurch City Council labelled naive for rates inquiries

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Christchurch council has asked its residents to tell it if earthquake repairs haven't been done so it can accurately assess their property's value.

Silkannthreades 7/04/2013: Is it good news or bad news?

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

An entry from Gallivanta's blog for 7 April 2013 entitled, "Is it good news or bad news?".

The Government Provincial Buildings

Articles, Lost Christchurch

Christchurch has a frontier appearance about it in this photograph taken by Dr. Barker in 1860 from the tower of the Canterbury Provincial Buildings.  With little beyond the immediate streets, it c…

Dallington 16

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph captioned, "It feels like it has been a really on-going process. We weren't in the head space for it really, because when you retire, you think you're in your retirement home and you're there to stay. You don't expect to have to move on. To do all this".

Dallington 13

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

Its 12 years of accumulated stuff and I was thinking I was just going to get rid of everything. I had the feeling I didn't want to hang onto anything. We tried to get rid of a lot of stuff in a garage sale. Some of it went, some of it didn't. It's a long process".

Govt plans legislation to change EQC operations

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The government plans to introduce legislation to change the Earthquake Commission's operations, after a report found major failings. It found EQC was woefully unprepared as it dealt with the Canterbury quakes, and made dozens of recommendations about clarifying EQC's role and improving the way it deals with claimants. RNZ political reporter Yvette McCullough has more.