Orange zoned residents worry further shakes will cause delays

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Some residents in orange zoned areas in Christchurch are worried the latest series of earthquakes will further delay the decision on whether they can remain in their homes.

Royal Commission hearings continue in Christchurch

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A Christchurch city council manager has told the Royal Commission there was an element of chaos after the first earthquake in September 2010 as staff sought to get systems in place.

Christchurch car sales up as insurers pays out

Audio, Radio New Zealand

While many businesses in Christchurch are still struggling to get back on their feet after over a year of earthquakes, car sales, including many luxury models, are booming.

Grand Chancellor the focus of Royal Commission hearing

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Canterbury Earthquakes will today begin to examine the failure of the building that's come to symbolise the damage to the central city.

Engineer denies bar's quake repairs rushed for New Year's Eve

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A structural engineer has denied he rushed the inspection of earthquake repairs to a Christchurch bar so it could re-open in time for New Years Eve.

US search and rescue leader returns to Christchurch

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The man who lead the US search and rescue in the aftermath of February's earthquake is back in Christchurch to accept a plaque of appreciation from the City Council.

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.

Gerry Brownlee offside with Chch business community

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, is offside with the business community in Christchurch over the decision to permanently relocate nearly 500 public servants outside of the central business district.

Owner asked why he didn't strengthen building before quake

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The owner of a building that collapsed in last February's Christchurch earthquake - killing four people - has faced questioning about why he did not get recommended strengthening work done.

The latest from the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission

Audio, Radio New Zealand

An earthquake engineer says designing buildings to resist earthquakes is as much an art as it is a science and you can never make a structure completely quake-proof.

CTV building not inspected by engineer after Boxing Day quake

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Two separate chances to inspect the Canterbury Television building were missed before the February earthquake saw it pancake to the ground last year, killing 115 people.

Commission hears crucial evidence was destroyed

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has heard that evidence crucial to working out what caused the collapse of the Canterbury Television Building, was destroyed by the firm which oversaw its design.

High Court rules Brownlee wrong to use quake powers

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The High Court in Christchurch has ruled the Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee was wrong to use his special powers to fast track housing development following the earthquakes.

Christchurch residents concerned about impact of asbestos

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Christchurch city council is reconsidering its plan to dump five thousand tonnes of asbestos contaminated rubble in Bottle Lake Forest Park landfill which has been reopened to take earthquake debris.

Chch homeowners consider legal action against State Insurance

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A group of angry Christchurch locals are considering legal action against one of the country's biggest insurance companies because they say their earthquake claims are taking too long to settle.

CTV designer apologises to families for the first time

Audio, Radio New Zealand

For the first time the man whose firm designed the CTV building has apologised to the families of the 115 people killed when it collapsed in the Christchurch earthquake.

Newly formed Chch management unit

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The rebuild of central Christchurch has been taken out of the control of the city council and will now be managed by a newly formed unit within the Government's Earthquake Recovery Authority.

CERA spending money when cheaper option exists

Audio, Radio New Zealand

People in Christchurch fighting to save their Port Hills homes are astounded the Earthquake Recovery Authority is set on spending millions of dollars to buy them out when a cheaper option exists.

Town close to first quake epicentre getting back to normal

Audio, Radio New Zealand

It was just a little under an hour and a half ago, two years today, that a seven-point-one magnitude earthquake shook Canterbury.

Lawyer argues design faults did not cause CTV to collapse

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The lawyer for the man whose company designed the CTV building says it was the strength and number of Canterbury earthquakes that caused its collaspe, and not any design faults.

Nothing to fear over buildings identified as potentially weak

Audio, Radio New Zealand

People will be told by Christmas if they are in unsafe buildings that have the same flaw as the CTV building, which collapsed killing 115 people in the Christchurch earthquake.

One of the most expensive options for Christchurch schools

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Cabinet papers show the government's one-billion-dollar plan for reorganising Christchurch schools in the wake of the Canterbury earthquakes is one of the most expensive options it could have chosen.

Chch maying be missing out on millions in insurance

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A central-Christchurch property owner says attempts by insurance companies to limit the amount of money they end up paying out for earthquake damage, is just part of doing business.

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.

Christchurch woman opens home to 50 quake-hit felines

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Animals have also suffered upheaval because of the Christchurch earthquakes. Jan Collins is one of those caring for some the hundreds of pets who have been left homeless because of the earthquakes.

Anglican Church takes centre stage at Quakes Royal Commission

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Anglican Church has been asked why it failed to carry out a detailed inspection of a building which partially collapsed, killing a Canadian tourist in Christchurch during the February earthquake.

Winners annoucned for 2012 Ellerslie Flower Show

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The gold medal winners of this year's Ellerslie International Flower show have been named in Christchurch, with many taking their inspiration from the February 22nd earthquake which cancelled last year's show.

Canterbury DHB set to spend $20M on out-sourcing services

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Canterbury District Health Board is to double the amount it spends on out-sourcing services to 20 million dollars a financial year following the Christchurch earthquakes.

The implications of the discord at the Chch City Council

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Leanne Curtis is a Canterbury Communities' Earthquake Recovery Network board member and Peter Townsend is the chief executive of the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce.

Heritage order may have contributed to the deaths

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has heard evidence that a heritage order on a row of dangerous buildings may have contributed to the deaths of a dozen people in the February quake.