Royal Commission to hear plea for upgrade to old buildings

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission will hear this week that the cost of upgrading the city's unreinforced masonry buildings is more than the buildings are worth.

Overseas experts to give evidence at quake inquiry

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Royal Commission into the Canterbury Earthquakes continues today, with overseas experts critiquing a New Zealand report that calls for a two-billion dollar upgrade to strengthen earthquake-prone buildings.

Questions over measure used to judge quake resistence

Audio, Radio New Zealand

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.

Quake references a no-no in this year's NCEA exams

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Earthquakes disrupted schooling in Canterbury this year, but the region's teenagers can rest assured they will not be rattled by unexpected references to quakes in this year's NCEA and Scholarship exams.

Submissions on Chch schools call for less competition

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The government has been told to rein in competition between Christchurch schools and create hubs where they can cooperate. The call comes in some of the 230 submissions the government has received to help it draw up a plan for the renewal of education in the city in the wake of February's devastating earthquake.

Top Stories for Thursday 17 November 2011

Audio, Radio New Zealand

National says campaign on track despite focus on Key; Radio New Zealand political editor discusses campaign; Don Brash says his leadership is solid; Pike River anniversary service 'will be non-political'; Auckland protesters may receive trespass notices today; Martin Johnson quits as England rugby coach; Earthquake documentary opens in Christchurch cinemas.

Court Theatre set to reopen in a shed in Addington

Audio, Radio New Zealand

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.

National touts earthquake successes as reason for Chch seats

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Labour party candidates in two of the closest-run election seats, Christchurch Central, and Waimakariri are refusing to accept defeat.

Royal Commission looks at PGC building collapse

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Royal Commission into the Canterbury Earthquakes continues today with the focus on the Pyne Gould Corporation building, where 18 people were killed.

PGC building owner says he did all he could to make it safe

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Pyne Gould building tenants in Christchurch have told the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Canterbury Earthquakes hearing they didn't feel safe there after the September quake.

PGC property manager defends lack of detailed assessment

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has heard the property manager of the Pyne Gould building did not organise detailed engineering assessments after the first quake in September.

Chch schools seek special NCEA marking for all students

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Some Christchurch schools are so worried about the impact of February's earthquake on their students that they want special consideration to be given in their exam marks.

Canterbury Uni: projected budget deficit of $17-million

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Since the earthquake in February the university has faced spiralling insurance costs and a decline in student enrolments. Now 24 staff have agreed to voluntary redundancy effective next year and the vice chancellor, Rod Carr, says despite that, it's largely business as usual.

Quakes Royal Commission wraps up PGC hearing today

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Canterbury earthquakes concludes its hearing into the collapse of the Pyne Gould building today.

Dean of the Christchurch Cathedral runs for council

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Dean of the Christchurch Cathedral says he's stepping down so he can better serve the city during the earthquake recovery.

Smaller buildings to be quake commission focus this week

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The smaller buildings that collapsed in the Christchurch earthquake, killing those in them as well as passers by, will be the focus of the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission when hearings resume today

Earthquake anxiety prevents Canterbury births

Audio, Radio New Zealand

After a rush of babies born on the day of Canterbury's earthquake, the stress of the continuing tremors mean some women are now having trouble giving birth.

Christchurch rocked by heavy metal band Metallica

Audio, Radio New Zealand

After a shaky few weeks in Canterbury thousands of earthquake survivors have been rocked again, this time by heavy metal greats, Metallica.

Quake-hit state house tenant withholds rent

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A state house tenant in the Christchurch suburb of Avonside is withholding her rent, saying Housing New Zealand has left her in the lurch following the big earthquake.

Waimakariri residents face major rates rises

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The earthquake in Canterbury is likely to result in rate rises.

Quake victims say pending rates rise will cripple them

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Shell shocked residents still picking up the pieces in one of the worst earthquake affected parts of Canterbury, say a looming rates rise to pay for repairs will cripple them.

Psychologist warns patients off seeking quake anxiety advice

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Aftershocks continue to rattle Christchurch following last week's earthquake.

Ten regulations passed under emergency earthquake powers

Audio, Radio New Zealand

There are 10 fresh regulations already in place under emergency powers rushed through Parliament to deal with the Canterbury earthquake.

Emergency powers being put in place in Canterbury

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Government has already put in place ten orders-in-council under emergency powers rushed through Parliament this month to deal with the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquake.

Buses of tourists visited damaged parts of Christchurch

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Christchurch City Council is investigating ways to prevent buses from going through Avonside and other earthquake damaged suburbs.

Earthquake Commission to seek international help

Audio, Radio New Zealand

It's just over three weeks since a magnitude seven-point-one earthquake struck Canterbury, damaging infrastructure and destroying homes and businesses and the Earthquake Commission has already received over 75-thousand claims.

Insurance trips up earthquake-struck businesses

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Many small businesses in Canterbury are struggling to stay afloat after the earthquake and an insurance and risk management consultant, John Sloan, says one problem is the long wait to get insurance money.

Labour says government should keep open mind on EQC

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Labour is calling for the Government to rethink how the Earthquake Commission insures homeowners, in the aftermath of the disaster in Canterbury.

Portaloos pose problem for quake-struck residents

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Christchurch City Council has shipped in an extra 200 hundred portable toilets to help those suburbs worst hit by the earthquake.

Law Society says government giving itself too much power

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Law Society has added its voice to condemnation the government is giving itself far too much power by passing the emergency Canterbury earthquake legislation.