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.
There are the first signs of the Canterbury region returning to normal, six days after the massive earthquake devastated much of Christchurch and its surroundings.
Cabinet will today decide how the Government will contribute to the clean up in Canterbury following Saturday's massive earthquake.
A woman sits at the breakfast table reading the paper - As her husband comes through the door behind her she comments that the 'Regional Council says rural people should be checking their septic tanks!' Her husband is covered in muck and surrounded by flies - he has clearly been taking the council's advice. Refers to the news that the Canterbury Regional Council is encouraging rural residents with septic tanks to check their wastewater system for any signs of damage following September's earthquake. (Radio NZ News 5 November 2010) Both colour and black and white versions of this cartoon are available Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Have faith. Vicar Jenni Carter and congregation member Dee Innes say the earthquake-damaged St John's Church will be rebuilt, despite a $5 million estimate".
Several 'quake victims' dive into a fissure and zip it up as Santa Claus in the form of a malignant '$' symbol leaps towards them yelling 'Ho! Ho! Ho!' One of the quake victims shouts 'Quick Hide! Christmas is getting closer!!' Context; the Christchurch earthquake on 4th September and all the subsequent aftershocks have cost many people a great deal of money. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nathan Worner with his son James (age 2) outside his earthquake-damaged house. Mr. Worner has become frustrated trying to get EQC to recognise the damage to one the chimneys (covered with blue tarp.) caused by the September 4th Canterbury Earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nathan Worner with his son James (age 2) outside his earthquake-damaged house. Mr. Worner has become frustrated trying to get EQC to recognise the damage to one the chimneys (covered with blue tarp.) caused by the September 4th Canterbury Earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nathan Worner with his son James (age 2) outside his earthquake-damaged house. Mr. Worner has become frustrated trying to get EQC to recognise the damage to one the chimneys (covered with blue tarp.) caused by the September 4th Canterbury Earthquake".
Questions to Ministers 1. Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery: Does he agree with the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce chief executive Peter Townsend that the reconstruction of Canterbury following the earthquake requires someone "to co-ordinate and oversee" reconstruction? 2. COLIN KING to the Minister of Finance: What steps is the Government taking to ensure the Earthquake Commission can meet claims arising from the Canterbury earthquake? 3. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Finance: What was the earliest date that Treasury formed the conclusion that South Canterbury Finance could fail, and when and by whom was that first raised with him? 4. DAVID GARRETT to the Attorney-General: Does he agree that "tikanga" as it is described in the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill will differ in meaning from iwi to iwi and hapū to hapū? 5. Hon RUTH DYSON to the Minister of Health: Are doctors and nurses having more say in how the health system is run? 6. NICKY WAGNER to the Minister for the Environment: What reports has he received on responses to the Canterbury earthquake, particularly with respect to the region's flood and waste management systems? 7. TE URUROA FLAVELL to the Attorney-General: What is the burden of proof under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill in relation to applications for customary interests, and what type of evidence would the Crown be required to produce to prove that a customary interest had been extinguished? 8. Hon DAVID PARKER to the Attorney-General: When he answered yesterday that "hopefully" the new foreshore and seabed bill "will settle the protracted controversy around the issues of the foreshore and seabed", was he aware that the Government's confidence and supply partner Hon Pita Sharples told TV3 that he was "not entirely happy" with the new bill? 9. JO GOODHEW to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: How have Government social services been supporting the people of Canterbury? 10. PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister of Local Government: Why did the Auckland Transition Agency award the $53.8 million contract for the Auckland Council's Enterprise Resource Planning computer system without a competitive tender? 11. Dr JACKIE BLUE to the Minister of Women's Affairs: Why is the Ministry of Women's Affairs celebrating Suffrage Day? 12. CATHERINE DELAHUNTY to the Minister of Women's Affairs: How will New Zealand's forthcoming report to the UN under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women explain the Government's decision to axe the Pay and Employment Equity Unit?
While buildings and businesses bore the brunt of the Canterbury earthquake, some popular outdoor recreation places have also been hit.
Today: a month on from the Canterbury earthquake, we take a comprehensive look at the recovery process from the Garden City; we get a glimpse at the Commonwealth Games and; trauma affects police involved in the recovery of Carmen Thomas' body.
There are fears more than a hundred businesses, particulary in the retailing and restaurant sectors, will have to close their doors as a result of the physical and economic damage caused by the earthquake.
The owners of more than three-thousand properties damaged by the Canterbury earthquake have been told the repair job could take nearly three years.
A new report by the Greater Wellington Regional Council paints a grim picture if the capital was struck by a 7 point 1 earthquake, similar to that which hit Canterbury in September.
The earthquake may have rattled the Canterbury province but it certainly didn't affect the local representative at the national secondary school Maori speech competitions. In He Rourou, we hear the impromptu speech by Satrianni Reihana, she chose to talk about extolling one's own virtue.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Gerry Brownlee (left), EQC CEO Ian Simpson, and geotechnical specialist Nick Rogers explain the EQC plan to remediate land damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "A chandelier is recovered by a Southern Demolition excavator operator from a damaged shop, Shrimpton Radcliffe Design on Victoria Street, following the Canterbury earthquakes".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Bevan Fergusson, caretaker, left, and Sunjay Ganda, participation and development manager, remove goals from the ruined hockey pitch at Porritt Park following Canterbury's earthquake".
The Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce estimates up to 150 of the region's small businesses will fold if they're not given Government assistance to relocate from their earthquake-stricken premises.
The state of emergency imposed in Canterbury after the magnitude seven point one earthquake 12 days ago is expected to be lifted today.
The head of an international team of engineers who are expert in designing for disasters says Wellington should look closely at the lessons from the Canterbury earthquake.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "2010 Canterbury Earthquake. Most houses should be able to be rebuilt on the land they are on. The Crean family at their red-stickered house. From left: Stephen and Nadia Crean".
A local resident walks to the nearest dairy for essentials after the 7.1 magnitude quake, that has caused major infrastructure damage to Christchurch City.
Rolleston/Burnham, South Island, NZ This used to be a perfectly straight and flat road!
As aftershocks from Canterbury's 7-point-one magnitude earthquake continue, scientists are gathering massive amounts of scientific data and personal accounts.
It's day four of the massive clean-up operation in Canterbury. Hundreds of shops and offices in the region are being assessed to check if they're safe.
The Earthquake Commission says claims from Canterbury homeowners are pouring in with 45,000 recorded so far, and 100,000 expected by the time the dust settles.
The chief medical officer of health for the region, Dr Alistair Humphrey, says people carrying out repairs on their earthquake-stricken properties need to be wary of asbestos.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Melissa Skurr and her partner, JC Anderson, with their dog, Shady, who was fed by the people who burgled their empty home following Canterbury's earthquakes".