State of emergency remains in place in Canterbury
Audio, Radio New Zealand
In earthquake-ravaged Canterbury, a state of emergency remains in place despite hopes it would be lifted today.
In earthquake-ravaged Canterbury, a state of emergency remains in place despite hopes it would be lifted today.
The Earthquake Commission has offered a formal apology for its handling of quake claims in Canterbury. The apology from its chair, Sir Michael Cullen, is included in its just released annual report. Conan Young reports.
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.
Some Canterbury homeowners are worried that missed earthquake damage to concrete slabs could result in another big bill for the taxpayer. This comes only weeks after EQC told Checkpoint that the cost of mis-scoped damage or defective repairs following the Canterbury earthquakes could cost up to $1 billion. This includes $450 million for botched repairs, including badly repaired rubble ring foundations, and $300 million for an ex gratia payment to about 1000 over-cap onsold homeowners. But some Canterbury homeowners who bought after the earthquakes - and did their due diligence - are only discovering damage to their concrete slab foundations now. Logan Church reports.
Federated Farmers says it's waiting for official approval from the Earthquake Commission and other relief organisations.
A new report suggests economic activity in Canterbury has not reduced as a result of the September and February earthquakes.
The Canterbury District Health Board is facing a bill in excess of $70-million to repair earthquake damage to more than seven and a half thousand rooms in two of its hospitals.
The government's announced a $350 a week subsidy for some workers who have lost their income due to the Canterbury earthquake.
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.
We assess how last the earthquake has affected three major arts festivals and Christchurch's historic Repertory Theatre, and the part the arts have to play in helping the city to get back on its feet.
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.
Parliament has passed emergency laws to help speed the reconstruction of Christchurch after the magnitude seven point one earthquake 11 days ago.
As people in Canterbury continue to recover from the earthquake that struck 12 days ago, it's re-ignited the memories of those who survived the deadly 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake.
People in Canterbury who own empty houses are being urged to help put a roof over the heads of homeless earthquake victims.
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.
Lectures resume at the University of Canterbury this morning after being cancelled for two weeks because of the earthquake.
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.
Since the earthquake in February the university has faced spiralling insurance costs and a decline in student enrolments. Now 24 staff have agreed to voluntary redundancy effective next year and the vice chancellor, Rod Carr, says despite that, it's largely business as usual.
The Government has already put in place ten orders-in-council under emergency powers rushed through Parliament this month to deal with the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquake.
After commemorating the anniversary of last year's deadly earthquake in Christchurch, many are now looking to the region's future.
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.
The Government is considering introducing a state of emergency after a series of powerful earthquakes in Christchurch this afternoon.
The Student Volunteer Army (SVA) are pulling together their troops to assist in the Canterbury clean-up . SVA chief executive Sam Johnson has been putting out the call to arms. He says it's time to help the region's farmers who helped Christchurch after the earthquakes. Sam Johnson spoke to Susie Ferguson.
In the hours after the February 2011 Canterbury earthquake, Chessie Henry's father Chris Henry, a Kaikoura-based doctor, crawled into makeshift tunnels in the collapsed CTV building to rescue the living and look for the dead. Six years later, Chessie interviewed Chris in an attempt to understand the trauma that lead her father to burnout. In her book just published, We Can Make A Life: A memoir of family, earthquakes and courage, Chessie Henry considers the psychological cost of heroism and unravels stories and memories from her family history.
Tomorrow will mark four years since a huge 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked North Canterbury. As well as severely damaging homes and roads, it left some hill country farms in the area with up to 40 percent of their land unusable. Four years on, sheep and beef farmers are finding new ways to work. Rural reporter, Maja Burry and cameraman Nate McKinnon have the story.
A magnitude six earthquake which struck in Canterbury just before quarter-past-nine Wednesday morning has left some nearby residents feeling a bit shaken. The quake, which struck 45 kilometres north of Geraldine at a depth of ten kilometres, was located in the Southern Alps, away from populated areas. It was widely felt in Geraldine, Timaru and Temuka - though there are no reports of serious damage or injury. Timaru District Council says it's closing a stadium and other facilities for assessment. Two people who experienced the quake, Janene Adams who's deputy chair of the Geraldine Community Board, and from further north, and the operator of the Mount Somers Holiday Park, Maureen Meanwell, spoke with Charlotte Cook
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.
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee refused to be interviewed on Checkpoint.
Aid agencies in Canterbury say the earthquake recovery is putting buildings before people.
We're joined by the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority's chief executive Roger Sutton.