Search

found 421 results

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

Labour leader Phil Goff is being 'shored up' and strengthened by reinforced steel beams which represent his 'leadership. He tells ACT leader Rodney Hide who holds a newspaper with a headline reading 'ACT rattled again' that he needs to 'strengthen now before the next shake up!' As an insecure leader he is showing sympathy to Rodney Hide who is even more insecure because of the recent embarrassment of the David Garrett debacle. The title of the cartoon is 'Quake-proofing essential...' which is a reference to the Christchurch earthquake of 4th September and the continuing aftershocks. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

The ticket office at Lancaster Park (AMI Stadium), not used since the February 2011 earthquake. Windows broken and door boarded up. We are still waiting to see what the outcome is for this stadium. Government want a new one closer to the CBD, so there is talk of this being demolished, while others want it repaired.

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

Text reads 'The new liquefaction?...' and the cartoon depicts a huge mass of 'insurance red tape' inside which is a man with a spade. Two people stare despairingly at the red tape and the man says 'How are we EVER gonna rebuild with this stuff bubbling up!' Context: The people are trying to rebuild their house after the Christchurch earthquakes and are having trouble with their insurance company. The Press has been contacted by people unable to get insurance to buy new homes, construct buildings or start businesses. Business leaders have called insurance delays a "cancer" eating away at the city's recovery, and Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has acknowledged insurance is an "ongoing problem". (The Press - 24 August 2011) Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

A rescue worker carries the dead body of a woman out of the crumbled remains of a building. Nearby is a copy of the 'Building Code'. Context - there are questions being asked about whether some of the buildings that collapsed too readily in the Christchurch earthquake of 22 February 2011 had been subject to stringent enough building code regulations. The Department of Building and Housing said the vertical shaking in the central business district was both extreme and unusual and early indications suggest it was much more violent than designed for in the building code standards which are based on the kind of shaking expected to happen every 500 years. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

As a man stands up to his knees in liquefaction as Christchurch rocks in another aftershock he reads a newspaper which has one headline reading 'More severe aftershocks in Christchurch' and a second headline that reads 'I have an unshakeable belief in New Zealanders says next Gov. Gen.'. Context - Two earthquakes and hundreds of aftershocks have hit Christchurch, the first on 4 September 2010 and a second more devastating one on 22 February 2011. The new Governor General is Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae; he takes over the role from incumbent Sir Anand Satyanand in August 2011. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

In the first frame an excited rugby player runs across a rugby field wearing a shirt with the words 'Rugby Cup venues' printed on it and carrying a ball that represents 'extra games'. In the second frame a huge arm that represents 'extra costs' smashes into the player. Context - Christchurch cannot host the five games allocated to it. Auckland Council has agreed to pick up the $2.9 million tab it will cost to host three additional Rugby World Cup games. The government supports claims that the three bonus games could boost spending in Auckland by at least $28 million. (Stuff 31 March 2011) Colour and black and white versions of this cartoon are available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

The cartoon shows a row of gold statuettes of Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker smiling and holding a shovel; these are 'The Bob Awards - for supporting roles in Christchurch'. Context - on 22 February 2011 a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck in Christchurch, which has probably killed more than 200 people (at this point the number is still not known) and caused very severe damage. The courage, generosity and 'can do' attitude of the people has been wonderful and Bob Parker himself is showing himself a tireless and cheerful mayor in extraordinary circumstances. Colour and black and white versions of this cartoon are available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

The old (or is that the new) Inland Revenue Department (IRD) building on the corner of Madras and Cashel Streets in central Christchurch. Built in 2006/07 on the site of the former Farmers department store (itself badly damaged by fire), it was just a few years old when the earthquake of February 2011 struck, and subsequent quakes (all through 2...

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

In the first seven of eight frames astrologer Ken Moon predicts a 'black day ahead', a 'day of great shaking' and 'terror' and 'children crying' and 'people fleeing' and 'a day in May'. In the last frame people realize that he has seen, not an earthquake, but the budget. Context - After the two big earthquakes in Christchurch on 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011, the so-called Moon Man, Ken Ring, backed away from his prediction that Christchurch would be whacked by a huge earthquake on the 20th of March 2011. His claims terrified Cantabrians and led to people fleeing Christchurch. The 2011 budget will be announced in May and predictions are that it will be a cost-cutting one because of New Zealand's debt, partially caused by the Christchurch earthquakes. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

It is the middle of the night and a man wearing his dressing-gown runs out of his house towards a portaloo clutching a toilet roll and saying 'Try me'. The neighbourhood is wrecked by earthquakes. On the ground is a newspaper with a headline that reads 'New Delhi athletes substandard accomodation facilities'. A second newspaper reads 'Given the choice many prefer to stay home'. Context: The first Christchurch earthquake shook the city on early morning of the 4th September 2010. The destruction of sewage infrastructure has meant portaloos and long-drops have become de rigeur as a consequence. There was a desperate rush to get the village ready for the influx of athletes before the opening of the Commonwealth Games on 3rd October 2010 and there was a fear that unsatisfactory sanitation systems might cause health and safety problems. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

This community-partnered thesis explores the impact of ReVision Youth Audits in promoting youth-friendly community spaces in Christchurch, a city undergoing long-term urban transformation following the 2010–2011 earthquakes. In partnership with ReVision, a not-for-profit organisation facilitating youth-led audits of public and community spaces, this research examines how audit recommendations have been implemented by organisations responsible for 23 previously audited sites. Using a mixed-methods approach, including an online stakeholder survey (n = 16) and semi-structured interviews (n = 2), the study identified variation in implementation outcomes, with non-profit organisations reporting higher adoption levels than local government entities. Stakeholders reported that commonly implemented recommendations included enhanced lighting, inclusive signage, additional seating, and youth-focused amenities such as murals, free Wi-Fi, and gender-neutral toilets. The average youth-friendliness score increased from 4.7 to 7.5 out of 10 following implementations, reflecting tangible improvements in accessibility, inclusivity, and youth engagement. Despite these gains, several barriers limited full implementation. Local government stakeholders cited procedural delays, regulatory frameworks, and funding cycles tied to long- term planning. At the same time, non-profits stakeholders faced constraints such as property ownership and limited influence over shared spaces. Challenges related to timing, staffing capacity, and the absence of follow-up mechanisms were also reported. Stakeholders recomended integrating youth input in the design process earlier, as several audits occurred after key planning phases. Feedback on the audit process was largely positive, with high ratings for the clarity of recommendations and the tool's credibility. However, stakeholders advocated for refinements when recording the audit recommendations to capture young people's lived experiences better and sustain youth involvement beyond the initial audit phase. The research demonstrates that the ReVision Youth Audit framework contributes to meaningful improvements in public spaces especially for youth and reinforces the value of youth-informed urban design. This research provides practical guidance for enhancing youth engagement in urban planning and improving the long-term utility of participatory audit frameworks, based on an analysis of both the factors that enabled and those that constrained the implementation of audit recommendations.

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

A man reading a newspaper wails and sobs when he discovers that Christchurch will not be hosting any Rugby World Cup games. The newspaper is covered with real disaster news like the Japanese earthquake and potential nuclear disaster, economy problems , and 'aftershock anxiety'. Context - The Christchurch earthquakes of 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011 that have led to the decision that because of the amount of damage to the venue plus infrastructures and accommodation for visitors the Rugby World Cup will not be played in Christchurch. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

20131228_6786_1D3-97 Twelve Days of Christmas (part 1) The NG building on Madras Street was given the go ahead to repair earthquake damage, which the owners did at some expense, Now, the government want this land to build a central city stadium, so there is a protest on the windows set to the Christmas song the Twelve Days of Christmas. 12 mi...

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

The Leader Fault was one of at least 17 faults that ruptured the ground surface across the northeastern South Island of New Zealand during the Mw 7.8 2016 Kaikōura Earthquake. The southern ~6 km of the Leader Fault, here referred to as the South Leader Fault (SLF), ruptured the North Canterbury (tectonic) Domain and is the primary focus of this study. The main objective of the thesis is to understand the key factors that contributed to the geometry and kinematics of the 2016 SLF rupture and its intersection with The Humps Fault (HF). This thesis employs a combination of techniques to achieve the primary objective, including detailed mapping of the bedrock geology, geomorphology and 2016 rupture, measurement of 2016 ground surface displacements, kinematic analysis of slip vectors from the earthquake, and logging of a single natural exposure across a 2016 rupture that was treated as a paleoseismic trench. The resulting datasets were collected in the field, from terrestrial LiDAR and InSAR imagery, and from historical (pre-earthquake) aerial photographs for a ~11 km2 study area. Surface ruptures in the study area are a miniature version of the entire rupture from the earthquake; they are geometrically and kinematically complex, with many individual and discontinuous segments of varying orientations and slip senses which are distributed across a zone up to ~3.5 km wide. Despite this variability, three main groups of ruptures have been identified. These are: 1) NE-SW striking, shallow to moderate dipping (25-45°W) faults that are approximately parallel to Cenozoic bedding with mainly reverse dip-slip and, and for the purposes of this thesis, are considered to be part of the SLF. 2) N-S striking, steeply dipping (~85°E) oblique sinistral faults that are up to the west and part of the SLF. 3) E-NE striking, moderate to steeply dipping (45-68°N) dextral reverse faults which are part of the HF. Bedding-parallel faults are interpreted to be flexural slip structures formed during folding of the near-surface Cenozoic strata, while the steeply dipping SLF ruptured a pre-existing bedrock fault which has little topographic expression. Groups 1 and 2 faults were both locally used for gravitational failure during the earthquake. Despite this non-tectonic fault movement, the slip vectors for faults that ruptured during the earthquake are broadly consistent with NCD tectonics and the regional ~100-120° trend of the principal horizontal stress/strain axes. Previous earthquake activity on the SLF is required by its displacement of Cenozoic formations but Late Quaternary slip on the fault prior to 2016 is neither supported by pre-existing fault scarps nor by changes in topography across the fault. By contrast, at least two earthquakes (including 2016) appear to have ruptured the HF from the mid Holocene, consistent with recurrence intervals of no more than ~7 kyr, and with preliminary observations from trenches on the fault farther to the west. The disparity in paleoearthquake records of the two faults suggests that they typically do not rupture together, thus it is concluded that the HF-SLF rupture pattern observed in the Kaikōura Earthquake rarely occurs in a single earthquake.

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

Text reads 'Could the wrecking ball be used on structures outside Christchurch?' The cartoon shows Minister for the Reconstruction of Christchurch Gerry Brownlee as the wrecking ball on a crane; he says 'let the fun begin'. To one side is a large house crowded with people which represents 'the welfare state' and is surrounded by a barrier on which are printed the words 'Fiscal emergency'. Context - Gerry Brownlee is seen by many as rather too quick to demolish heritage buildings in his rush to rebuild Christchurch. The wrecking ball idea also suggests that the National government is likely to wreck the welfare state in its efforts to sort out economic problems. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

A small boy proudly tells his father 'Next month our class is donating all our pocket money to the quake fund'. His father, who is sitting in an armchair reading a newspaper with a headline that says 'Brownlee lavishes top dollar pay on quake panel' is so furious that steam pours out of his head. Context - The public has been very generous with donations to victims of the Christchurch earthquakes. Questions are now being asked about the Christchurch City Council's handling of consultants' contracts (to do with the rebuilding of the city after the earthquakes). City councillors have been questioning the council's awarding of more than $2.8 million of contracts to consultants. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

PM John Key sits at a large desk in a very large chair looking disconcerted as a messenger says 'after your display in the charity match - John Wright wants you on standby for India. Context - The charity match for Christchurch played at the Basin reserve on Sunday 9 March 2011. The prime minister played along with actors Russell Crowe and James Nesbitt, who were opposing coaches with the match being refereed by Ian McKellen in Sunday's match starting at 4pm. Key will face an over from the Australian spin king during the innings break at the Basin, which Cricket Wellington expects could sell out as early as today. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

A man representing New Zealand reads a newspaper whose headline is ''Quake may cost insurance co's up to $16B'. Above him is an enormous mosquito that represents 'increased premiums' and that is about to suck the blood out of him; it casts a huge menacing shadow in which the man stands. Context - Insurance companies have experienced massive losses after the Canterbury earthquake. This may ultimately result in higher premiums as insurance companies try to recoup from their loss. According to Chris Ryan, Insurance Council chief executive, "The quake would probably result in foreign reinsurance companies increasing the premiums they charged local insurers." (Stuff 9 Sep 2010) Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

Prime Minister John Key sits on a huge crushing ball that represents the 'IRB' (International Rugby Board) and says 'Don't listen to rumour. It's not a fait accompli yet!' The ball swings towards crumbling land which represents 'Christchurch World Cup Rights'. Context - The Government has repeatedly said its preference is to keep cup games in Christchurch and Mr Key said yesterday that it would send a "powerful message" about Christchurch, although the Government had to be realistic. "The IRB are the ultimate arbiter ... they hold their own insurance policies and they'll have their own discussions with their insurers. There's only so far New Zealand can take this." (Stuff 12 March 2011) Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

Cartoon depicts a person wearing a "Rachel Hunter disguise" saying "Maybe NOW they'll let me into the Red Zone!". A second person responds "It won't happen overnight... but it will happen!". Refers to frustration from Christchurch business owners at not being allowed into the Red Zone following the earthquake on 22 February 2011. Source of information: Heather, Ben. "Anger rising outside red zone". 'The Press', 3 June 2011, https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/5094323/Anger-rising-outside-red-zone accessed 25 November 2025. Title taken from item. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s). Processing information: Description written by Library staff updated as part of reparative description work November 2025. Details available on request.

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

The cartoon shows a family standing proudly in front of their tent which has 'No leaks!', is 'Earthquake-proof!', and 'Affordable!' An 'Optional extra' is an 'inflatable base for tsunami-prone areas'. Text below reads 'Not suitable for volcanic areas. Refers to the problems that have been experienced in the last couple of decades with leaky homes because of slack building codes (which have now been tightened), refers also to the Canterbury earthquake of 4th September with its aftermath of rebuilding for greater earthquake proofing and lastly refers to the problem of people being unable to afford houses. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

Two men working on the cleanup after the Christchurch earthquake of 22 February 2011 stop for a chat. One says 'Did I tell you my family was on the first ship!' and the other replies 'Blow that! - I got mine out on the first plane!' Context - the 22 February earthquake in Christchurch. The first man is talking about his ancestors coming to New Zealand in the 1940s and the second man is talking about sending his family out of Christchurch after the earthquake. Colour and black and white versions available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

The cartoon shows a flag which looks rather like that of both Australia and New Zealand but not exactly like either; the Union Jack is half out of the top left corner and there are just three of New Zealand's four red stars and three of Australia's white stars. The cartoonist's title is 'Aust NZ united in tragedy'. Context - The Queensland floods of December 2010 to January 2011. Colour and black and white versions available. Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

An arm representing the 'Citizens & Volunteers of Christchurch' offers an Oscar Award for 'True Grit'. Context - Admiration at the way the people and the volunteers have managed after the Christchurch earthquake of 22 February 2011. True Grit is a 2010 American Western film written and directed by the Coen brothers. It is the second adaptation of Charles Portis' 1968 novel of the same name, which was previously adapted for film in 1969 starring John Wayne. Colour and black and white versions of this cartoon are available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

Roger Sutton, former chief executive of the the power lines company, Orion and since June 2011 Chief Executive Officer of the Canterbury Earhquake Recovery Authority, is shown in a straitjacket, raving. An unseen interviewer asks him how it feels after 'two years in the job'. Roger Sutton's work in leading the Earthquake Authority after the February earthquake was extremely stressful, considering the magnitude of the task. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

On the day the the government and council jointly announced who will fund what, for the Christchurch rebuild, a rainbow appears over the rebuild of the Latimer Hotel. For the central city the figures are: NZ$4.9 billion with $2.9 billion coming from central government and $1.9 billion coming from the local city council (us ratepayers in Christc...

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

AMI Stadium (Lancaster Park), not used since the February 2011 earthquake. It was used predominantly for rugby and cricket. We are still waiting to see what the outcome is for this stadium. Government want a new one closer to the CBD, so there is talk of this being demolished, while others want it repaired. The concrete pad lower left is ...

Research papers, The University of Auckland Library

There is very little research on total house strength that includes contributions of non-structural elements. This testing programme provides inclusive stiffness and response data for five houses of varying ages. These light timber framed houses in Christchurch, New Zealand had minor earthquake damage from the 2011 earthquakes and were lateral load tested on site to determine their strength and/or stiffness, and to identify damage thresholds. Dynamic characteristics including natural periods, which ranged from 0.14 to 0.29s were also investigated. Two houses were quasi-statically loaded up to approximately 130kN above the foundation in one direction. Another unidirectional test was undertaken on a slab-on-grade two-storey house, which was also snapback tested. Two other houses were tested using cyclic quasi-static loading, and between cycles snapback tests were undertaken to identify the natural period of each house, including foundation and damage effects. A more detailed dynamic analysis on one of the houses provided important information on seismic safety levels of post-quake houses with respect to different hazard levels in the Christchurch area. While compared to New Zealand Building Standards all tested houses had an excess of strength, damage is a significant consideration in earthquake resilience and was observed in all of the houses. http://www.aees.org.au/downloads/conference-papers/2015-2/