Martin van Beynen is an award-winning journalist with the Christchurch newspaper The Press. His book, 'Trapped: Remarkable Stories of Survival from the 2011 Canterbury Earthquake' documents the experiences of 23 survivors.
David discusses the latest news in North Canterbury including updates on the earthquake damaged Glen Alton bridge funding, calls for a local driving licence test route in Kaikoura, reactions from local mayors on the government's bid to get young people off a jobseekers benefit, and there have been reports of dog attacks on little penguins along Kaikoura's coastline. David Hill is a Local Democracy Reporter with North Canterbury News, based in Rangiora.
NUK KORAKO to the Minister of Finance: How does New Zealand’s growing economy and the Government’s commitment to responsible fiscal management mean New Zealand is well-placed to respond to the Kaikōura earthquake? ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Has he spoken to relevant Ministers about the lessons learned from the Canterbury earthquakes to ensure people affected by the recent earthquakes have an easier and faster recovery? STUART SMITH to the Minister of Civil Defence: What update can he provide about the Government’s response to the Kaikōura earthquake? RON MARK to the Prime Minister: Can he update the House on the situation in quake-affected areas in the South Island? JAMES SHAW to the Prime Minister: Is he committed to all his Government’s policies? Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statement that following the Valentine’s Day earthquake this year in Canterbury, “it was timely to review whether any additional mental health and wellbeing support was needed”; if so, will he consider reviewing whether any additional support is needed for Canterbury and Nelson-Marlborough district health boards as a result of the recent earthquakes? JACQUI DEAN to the Minister of Transport: What updates has he received on damage to transport infrastructure following the Kaikōura earthquake? JAN LOGIE to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: What is his response to yesterday’s call from members of the Joint Working Group on Pay Equity Principles for the Government to “immediately right this historic wrong and implement the JWG principles”? JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister for Economic Development: When is he likely to announce a recovery or support package for small businesses in earthquake-affected areas? KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI to the Minister of Police: What are New Zealand Police doing to support the Kaikōura community? CHRIS HIPKINS to the Minister of Education: When did she first discuss the potential impact of Monday’s 7.5 earthquake on NCEA and Scholarship exams with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority? IAN McKELVIE to the Minister for Primary Industries: What recent reports has he received on the impact of the recent earthquakes on the primary sector?
A new centre being set up to help Canterbury businesses struggling after the recent earthquakes says it's getting ready to open its doors and is calling for applications from interested companies.
The Christchurch City Council says it has reached a compromise with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, and voted unanimously to support a plan to intensify housing in the city.
The Australian-owned, ANZ Bank, is betting small and medium sized firms will drive earnings next year, bolstered by the Rugby World Cup and rebuilding of the earthquake-hit Canterbury region.
Deborah Nation dusts off a series of recordings made with successive generations of a Canterbury lineage whose family homestead was one of the casualties of the earthquake on 4 September 2010 .
Royal Commission hearings into the Canterbury earthquakes started in Christchurch today, with a indication that questions will be raised about whether some of those trapped in collapsed buildings could have survived.
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.
A geotechnical expert from the United States has told the Royal Commission into the Canterbury Earthquakes, developers should be required to submit soil reports before building on land prone to liquefaction.
Businesses, farmers and workers in Canterbury are anxiously waiting to see what more the government will do to help after the 7.1 earthquake that devastated the region on Saturday morning.
Earthquakes disrupted schooling in Canterbury this year, but the region's teenagers can rest assured they will not be rattled by unexpected references to quakes in this year's NCEA and Scholarship exams.
Law experts have criticised the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act for creating a dangerous precedent. Our political editor Brent Edwards weighs up the arguments for and against the emergency legislation.
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister has been forced to concede he's received official advice on the Christchurch City Council selling some of its assets to help pay for rebuilding the city.
Shares in the insurance company, Tower, have plunged close to 20 percent today after it said its profits will likely fall more than 16-million dollars because of Canterbury earthquake claims.
Resilience and community spirit have shone through in North Canterbury in the aftermath of the earthquake. With no active civil defence post in operation in Cheviot in the days after the 7.8 quake, a group of locals mobilised a task force to support those in need. Further north at Mendip Hills Station farm manager Simon Lee has been repairing broken water pipes and clearing slips in time for weaning, while on Ben Lissington's dairy farm near Waiau, milk tankers are having to go off the beaten track to get to the rotary shed after a six metre section of the road was destroyed.
It's been dubbed Canterbury's little seaside community who never gave up. Nine years in the making, it was Redcliffs School''s grand re-opening today after earthquake damage rendered the old site unsafe. The occasion was marked with tears, hugging, singing and some very special guests. Katie Todd filed this report.
Deborah Nation recalls visits to Homebush, the historic Deans homestead near Darfield, the wreckage of which became one of the most viewed images in the first days after the September 2010 Canterbury earthquake.
A study of employees affected by the Canterbury earthquakes has found they're more likely to have jobs - and get better pay - than people in similar roles in other parts of the country.
The Earthquake Commission has been forced into an embarrassing admission that the details of all 83-thousand clients in its Canterbury Home Repair programme have been accidentally emailed to the wrong address.
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.
Ports of Auckland says incidents such as the strikes which crippled its operations and the Canterbury earthquakes which disrupted the Port of Lyttelton's operations shows New Zealand needs a resilient port sector.
Three years on from the Canterbury earthquakes there is a huge focus on getting the central city back up and running, but some suburban shopping areas are also struggling to attract customers.
The warnings, or lack of them from the government's scientists about the likely size of aftershocks following the first Canterbury earthquake have been a focus of the Royal Commission into the quakes.
After being rocked awake by the massive 7.8 earthquake that hit North Canterbury last November, RNZ reporter Phil Pennington was among the first reporters to be sent to Kaikoura to assess the damage.
Canterbury schools to stay closed until Monday, Earthquake family tries to comfort traumatised children, Christchurch welfare centres start filling up, Independent Australian MPs back Labor, Universities raise fees to maximum, MPs in Parliament pay tribute to people of Canterbury, Prime Minister speaks from Christchurch, and Julia Gillard speaks about the newly formed government.
An inquiry into the Earthquake Commission has found it was poorly prepared for the Canterbury earthquakes - and has left people with a "deep mistrust of government" that will take years to overcome. The government has this morning released findings from the inquiry, chaired by Dame Silvia Cartwright. Our Christchurch reporter, Conan Young, has been reading through the details and spoke with Māni Dunlop.
Canterbury farmers say they're at breaking point. A recent Ministry of Health report presented to MPs shows suicide is up 20 percent in rural areas compared with a drop of 10 per cent in cities and towns. Droughts, floods, earthquakes, farm debt, M Bovis, looming water quality reforms and climate change legislation have Canterbury farmers feeling under the pump. Political reporter Jo Moir has been in the region talking to locals like Chris Allen.
People living in Christchurch's orange zone will have to wait longer than expected for a decision on whether they can remain in their homes, after the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority missed one of its deadlines.
'Rekindle' is an initiative started since the earthquakes in Canterbury which provides purposeful work for young people by giving them the opportunity to design and fashion furniture from waste wood. Spectrum's Deborah Nation explores 'Rekindle'.