Christchurch Press Image: Stacy Squires 2010:09:15 13:55:54

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch earthquake. Max Reid looks at the graph like scratches on his wife's car caused by the 7.1M quake last week".

Christchurch Press Image: Stacy Squires 2010:09:15 13:55:27

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch earthquake. Max Reid looks at the graph like scratches on his wife's car caused by the 7.1M quake last week".

SIZE-mic does matter. 7.1 on the richter scale. $2 billion on the WRECKter…

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

A graph shows an earthquake registering 7.1 on the Richter scale and $2 billion on the 'Wreckter' scale. An arrow shoots upwards from the $2 billion anticipating that the cost will rise higher. Text above reads 'SIZE-mic does matter'. Refers to the Christchurch earthquake of Saturday 4th September 2010 and the cost of the damage. No-one was killed. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Growth Forecast. Reserve Bank. 18 September 2010

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

Shows a graph illustrating the 'Growth forecast' for the economy. A large finger representing the 'Reserve Bank' squashes the growth arrow as though it is a fly and it starts to zig-zag crazily downwards. The statement made 16th September looked a shadow of the bright one the Reserve Bank published three months ago. With its forecasts finalised the day before the Canterbury earthquake struck, the Bank has taken secateurs to its economic growth track, and a carving knife to its interest rate path. Instead of GDP growth pushing 4% this year and next, for example, it now struggles to reach 3% in each. It's tempting to think this has been driven by the wobbling international news over recent months. In fact it's been because of a suddenly sombre view around NZ consumer spending and the housing market. (Interest.co.nz) Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).