Ministry of Social Development

Other, National Library of New Zealand

MSD provides strategic social policy advice to the New Zealand Government and provides social services to more than one million New Zealanders. Information about the Ministry and its key initiatives, including downloadable factsheets and resources.

Are there signs before earthquakes?

Other, National Library of New Zealand

Website of scientist Dr N.E. Whitehead. Includes tabulated raw data from an online survey, a report based on the data, a link to the scientific paper written by Dr Whitehead and Professor Motoji Ikeya.

Good news and bad for Christchurch Theatres

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Years after the earthquakes, Christchurch is still desperately short of theatre space. But now the city council's investment of 30-million dollars to help the Court Theatre replace its very successful temporary home in Addington, is being widely applauded.

Christchurch business closures

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Christchurch central seems to have a business micro-climate. And right now it's chilly. The CBD is nothing like it used to be before the 2011 earthquake and those businesses that re-opened say they really had no choice because of the demands of insurance companies.

Tomorrow will be the same... but not as this is

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Earthquakes are one of the few natural disasters Australia seldom experiences. We find out from curator Felicity Milburn how our neighbours have responded to an exhibition of earthquake related art direct from Christchurch.

Public art installations on in Christchurch

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A couple of the most intriguing public art installations on in Christchurch. Dr Jessica Halliday discusses COCA gallery's window space project and Riki Manuel describes his art installations made from the ruins of earthquake hit buildings.

Fiona Farrell: Writing the Quakes

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Fiona Farrell has been awarded the $100,000 Creative New Zealand Michael King Writer's Fellowship to research and write twin books, one fiction and one non-fiction, inspired by her experiences of the Canterbury earthquakes and the rebuilding of the city.

Minister says he has faith in Fletchers to prevent fraud

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, says he is confident that Fletchers is vigilant about fraud and is doing what it can to prevent it in the Christchurch rebuild after accusations from New Zealand First.

Professional groups say no legal action for CTV engineers

Audio, Radio New Zealand

It now seems unlikely that engineers involved in the most serious building collapse of the Christchurch earthquake will face any external action, with the profession's administrators telling the Government there's nothing more they can do.

Insurance Council responds to claim quake insurance too complex

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Overlapping claims and general confusion are delaying money payable to New Zealand for damage from the Canterbury earthquakes. The money involved is payable through reinsurance schemes taken out by insurance companies in this country, with firms overseas.

Residents fear they have lost say in CBD rebuild

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Nearly two years' after Christchurch's February earthquake and almost 6 months after the blueprint for the city centre was revealed, many questions remain about how much it will cost and who will pay for it.

Engineering bodies tell Govt their hands are tied on CTV

Audio, Radio New Zealand

It's emerged that engineers involved in the most serious building collapse of the Christchurch earthquake are unlikely to face any external action, with the profession's two top bodies telling the Government their hands are tied.

Christchurch Cathedral has suffered massive damage

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Christchurch Cathedral has suffered massive damage, with its spire reduced to rubble and the roof caved in. There were visitors inside the building when the earthquake hit, and it is still unclear whether anyone was trapped beneath the rubble.

Scandinavian inspiration aids Christchurch rebuild

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Christchurch City Council is looking to Scandinavia for help with the earthquake re-build. Two Danish based urban design experts are working with the Council over the next four weeks to develop a draft plan for rebuilding the central city.

CTV building to be focus of next Inquests

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The remaining victims of the Christchurch's CTV building will be the focus of a Coroner's inquest next month, as families of those killed in the February earthquake continue to question the safety of buildings in the inner city.

An all-Christchurch Chapter and Verse

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Canterbury novelist Joanna Orwin has a new, futurist story of a New Zealand changed by cataclysmic volcanoes and tsunami, Sacrifice. And we hear about some of the stories in a post-earthquake Christchurch anthology, Tales for Canterbury.

Quake damage - how were the land damage assessments made?

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Nick Rogers, project director, Canterbury Land Assessment for Tonkin & Taylor. Tonkin & Taylor is the environmental and engineering consultancy doing the Canterbury land damage assessment work for EQC and the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority.

New technology - Nat Torkington

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Nat's been working on Earthquake relief in Christchurch with the development of the Christchurch Recovery Map and when not doing that, he's been looking at the iPad II, 3D Printers for schools, anti-lasers and other cutting edge tech.

Best of the Week - 4 March 2011

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Highlights from Radio New Zealand National's programmes for the week ending Friday 4 March. This week.......more news and interviews about the Christchurch earthquake and we delve into an ice cave created by Mt Erebus in Antartica.

Chch police to start cold-calling over domestic violence

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Staying with the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake, the police in Christchurch are to start cold-calling on homes in the city where there is either a history of domestic violence, or the potential for it.

Labour says govt cuts will hurt low income earners

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Prime Minister has signalled an election year austerity budget in May because of the Canterbury earthquakes. John Key says the Government needs to cut spending because of quake-related costs and a reduced tax take.

Thousands attend Westminister Christchurch memorial

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A memorial service for the 166 victims of the Christchurch earthquake has been held at Westminster Abbey. Attended by the Prince of Wales and the High Commissioner for New Zealander, the ceremony was led by the Dean of Westminster.

Christchurch City Seafood Market may have to lay off staff

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Some Christchurch business owners are criticising the government for winding down the earthquake support package. The Government has extended the package, which pays employees of quake effected business a wage subsidy for two more weeks.

Impact on tourism of quake and tsunami

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A discussion on the hit to tourism following the Christchurch earthquake and the Japan tsunami. Is the industry and Government moving quickly enough to buffer the countries second biggest export earner against the worst effects?

A day in the post-quake life of a Christchurch family

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Its now seven weeks since the February earthquake. Normality is returning to Christchurch, with most sewerage lines fixed and water no longer needing to be boiled before drinking. But that doesn't apply to everyone.

On Firmer Ground

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Since the February 22nd earthquake, an influx of displaced Christchurch residents have made North Canterbury their temporary home. Cosmo Kentish-Barnes finds out how some people have coped with this dramatic event and what locals are doing to support them.

Family of quake victim call for action over access to Lyttelton

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The family of a man killed while trying to reach his family after the February earthquake in Canterbury wants the Christchurch City Council to ensure people in Lyttelton are not cut off again.

Johnny Moore : playing favourites

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Johnny Moore is the owner of the Goodbye Blue Monday bar in Christchurch, which has been closed since the 22 February earthquake. He talks to Kim about the turbulent times since then and his career in the hospitality industry.

Sumner residents seek answers to when they can return home

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Some Christchurch residents say the Christchurch City Council has been too slow to resolve the threat of rock fall to their homes, and they now hope the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority will take over the job.

Earthquake panel chair says he did not ask for higher fees

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The four members of a panel set up to monitor emergency regulations governing the rebuilding of Canterbury say they did not ask for the higher-than-standard fees set by the Cabinet.