Quake families say lack of legal help leaves them without voice

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A spokesperson for the families of the victims of the Christchurch earthquake says without legal representation their voice will not be heard during the Royal Commission.

Some Christchurch earthquake victims are angry

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The families of some Christchurch earthquake victims are angry disappointed the Government is refusing to pay for lawyers for them at the Royal Commission of Inquiry.

Quakes Commission checks on responsibility for cordon

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has tried to determine exactly who should have put a cordon around a central Christchurch building identified as an earthquake risk.

Head of firm that designed CTV building accepts responsiblity

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The head of the structural engineering firm that supervised the design of the Canterbury Television building appeared yesterday at the Royal Commission into the Canterbury Earthquakes.

Timaru Herald Image: John Bisset 2010:09:04 06:49:36

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "The early morning earthquake caused damage to the Royal Hotel. Pictured inspecting the damage is Derek Neill of The Timaru District Council".

Structural engineer blasts engineering profession

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Royal Commission into the Canterbury earthquakes has been told illegal building techniques are being used in the Christchurch rebuild because the engineering profession is in crisis.

Lack of engineering assessments investigated

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A lack of building inspections and the engineers to carry them out has come under further scrutiny at the Royal Commission of inquiry into the Canterbury earthquakes.

Grant Cameron

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Why is the Royal Commission into Building Collapses in the Christchurch Earthquake not apportioning blame? Christchurch lawyer Grant Cameron represented the victims of the Cave Creek Tragedy.

Hearing into Canterbury earthquakes begins today

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Royal Commission hearings into the Canterbury earthquake begin in Christchurch today to examine why some of the newer buildings in the city's CBD failed so badly.

Commission witnesses questioned about Cashel Street building

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Witnesses before the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission have been questioned about why a building known to be earthquake prone was allowed to reopen, despite several red flags.

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.

When Are They Going to Reveal the Secret?

Images, UC QuakeStudies

The dome of the Isaac Theatre Royal covered in sheeting and suspended in the backstage area. In the foreground, a small digger sits on the bed of a truck, and a crane is visible to the left. The photographer comments, "This is the 'dome' of the Isaac Theatre Royal's heritage stage. The front section of the theatre has stayed and so has the back, but the middle has been completely demolished. The best way to hide a secret is in plain sight. Could this really be an ancient UFO stored secretly in the old theatre for decades and now exposed by the earthquake? Is the waiting crane and transporter ready to whip it away to another secret location in the dead of night?".

Quake hearing told building in use despite yellow placard

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A property manager has been questioned at the Royal Commission investigating the Canterbury earthquakes about why he didn't tell tenants the building they worked in was unsafe.

Engineering profession is in crisis - engineer

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A structural engineer has told the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission that illegal building techniques are being used in the Christchurch rebuild because the engineering profession is in crisis.

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.

Engineers defend expertise at Earthquake Commission

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Two engineers who prepared a critical report on the CTV building spent much of the day yesterday defending their expertise and credentials at the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission.

Fairfax Video October 2012 (3)

Videos, UC QuakeStudies

A video of soldiers from Delta Company from 2/1 Battalion Royal NZ Infantry Regiment using the Environment Canterbury (ECan) building on Kilmore Street for a training exercise.

Christchurch Press 18 August 2012: Section A, Page 5 (South Island Edition)

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

Page 5 of Section A of the South Island edition of the Christchurch Press, published on Saturday 18 August 2012.

Christchurch Press 11 December 2012: Section A, Page 4

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

Page 4 of Section A of the Christchurch Press, published on Tuesday 11 December 2012.

Nisbet, Alistair, 1958-: Prince William comes to Christchurch... 17 March …

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

Text above reads 'Prince William comes to Christchurch...' A special royal portaloo has been arranged for the visit of Prince William to Christchurch; it is built to resemble a castle and has gold door fittings. On either side of the portaloo stands a sentry guard. The prince who is inside whispers 'I can't find the royal flush button' (wordplay on 'royal flush' and the 'flush' of a toilet) Context - Prince William visited the Civil Defence headquarters in Christchurch with Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker on the 17th March to see the damage caused by the earthquakes of the 4th September 2010 and the 22 February 2011. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Vertical shaking from February earthquake not unique

Audio, Radio New Zealand

An earthquake engineer has told the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission that the intense vertical shaking during the February 2011 earthquake wasn't unique and was similar to events overseas.

Midday News for 15 April 2013

Audio, Radio New Zealand

An Assistant Police Commissioner may have to give evidence in Kim Dotcom's compensation case and the Government accepts almost all the recommedations made by the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission.

Article - Feeding the Multitudes

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

An article from Navy Today April 2011 titled, "Feeding the Multitudes".

Article - The Port

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

An article from Navy Today April 2011 titled, "The Port".

20130130_1846_1D3-50 Theatre Royal (Gloucester Street)

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

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Grand Chancellor checked for damage four times before February

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Canterbury earthquake's Royal Commission has heard that the Hotel Grand Chancellor was checked for earthquake damage - and cleared for use four times prior to the February 22nd earthquake.

Midday News for 6 March 2012

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The family of a Christchurch earthquake victim wants the Royal Commission to investigate all Search and Rescue efforts during the disaster. The Government faces a higher-than-forecast Budget deficit.

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.

Officials put barriers in way of strengthening building - owner

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A Christchurch businessman has told the Earthquake Royal Commission the city council was a nightmare to deal with when he was trying to strengthen his building before the September quake.

Overseas expert shocked at design of PGC building

Audio, Radio New Zealand

An American engineer has told the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission he was shocked at the failure of builders to properly fix the floors of the PGC building to its walls.