A couple in a red-zoned dog kennel, completing the dwelling census. Their accommodation has one room;, their only heating is by body heat and burning furniture; their rent is $1000 per week. Two years after the earthquakes, the living conditions of many in the 'red zones' of Christchurch was poor, owing to local body, government and insurance companies' tardiness. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
A signpost pointing 'West' and 'East'. The sign pointing West is intact; that indicating East is broken and barely hanging on to the post. Refers to the condition of Christchurch City after the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011; the western wealthier suburbs were less damaged than the poorer Eastern suburbs. Also, progress on repair and rehabilitation of eastern housing had been slow. The redesign of the city centre seemed to be a western suburb priority which ignored the poverty and misery of living conditions on the east. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Ruamoko, the Earthquake God, stirs in his bed, and with a sudden yawn, wonders if it is time to awake again. Above him Christchurch City trembles. On 15 May 2012, after several months of comparatively small quakes, a 4.5 Richter Scale earthquake was registered only 10 km East of Christchurch. Quake-weary Christchurch citizens feared that another large earthquake was on its way. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Two cowboys representing the CCC (Christchurch City Council) and 'protesters' are about to have a gun battle in a deserted street. Context: Relates to anger and a protest of 4000 people at what they see as poor performance by the City Council in dealing with earthquake issues. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Shows a helicopter spray painting Christchurch with the Canterbury colours of black and red. Someone in the helicopter yells that 'it's gotta be better than tint of TC3'. Context: Probably refers to the apology by Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee for offending Christchurch's TC3 residents after saying he was 'sick and tired' of their moaning. TC3 means 'technical category 3'. Land classified TC3 is the mostly badly quake-damaged considered economically repairable. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Shows a couple (representing the suburbs) under a large blue umbrella (representing the Christchurch Blueprint) in a rain storm. Refers to the blueprint for central Christchurch developed by the Christchurch Central Development Unit, which was unveiled on 30 July 2012. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Depicts spoof poster of new Zealand television series 'Hope and Wire' starring American actors as Bob Parker, Christchurch Mayor, Gerry Brownlee, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister, Roger Sutton, CERA CEO, Andrew Holden, Editor The Press. Context: a six part television series will be set in Christchurch in the aftermath of the earthquakes (Stuff 11 September 2012). Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
A chimpanzee paints with a palette of colours. Context: After the earthquakes in Christchurch buildings and areas were designated green, blue, red or white depending on the degree of damage. Buildings in the 'red' zone were then examined to ascertain whether they should be demolished or restored and sometimes the land itself was deemed unsafe. There have been many controversial decisions made which is the point the cartoon makes. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
The title reads 'Future Christchurch CBD?...' Two people stare at numerous large featureless blocks across the Avon River. One says 'Those buildings look pretty ugly' and the other points out that they are 'just the piles'. Context: The Christchurch City Council is moving to impose urban-design etiquette and avert architectural mistakes such as clashing with the neighbours, glaring corporate colours and the long, blank walls common to most suburban shopping malls. The proposed rules will be overseen by an urban-design panel of four experts drawn from a pool of 12 architects, designers, planners and valuers. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Shows an egg that represents '2012' with a chick beginning to peck its way out. In the background storms rage. Someone hopes that it will 'be softer and fuzzier than the last one!' Context: Refers to the difficulties and disasters of 2011 in New Zealand. Christchurch earthquakes and aftershocks continue with complicating rebuilding and insurance issues, the wreck of the Rena, and various weather events and political issues. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
The cartoon shows a daffodil blooming in an earthquake fissure with the wrecked buildings of Christchurch in the background. Context: September 4th is the anniversary of the first quake. Many people in Christchurch are still living in houses that may yet be red stickered (condemned) and many city buildings are still out of bounds, either condemned to destruction or rebuilt after the earthquakes of September 4th 2010 and February 22nd and June 13th 2011. But the return of spring maybe brings a sense of encouragement and hope. Title provided by librarian Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
The cartoon shows a house for sale in Christchurch after the earthquakes; there is a jagged rip through the house and the road outside that looks like a seismic graph after a lot of activity. The 'For Sale' sign says 'Open Plan living, open home, Seismologist's dream!'. Context - A house wrecked by the Christchurch earthquakes of September 4th 2010, February 22 2011 and June 13 2011. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
A man representing 'Chch' (Christchurch) walks a tightrope between two cliffs. Suddenly below there are piles of dollar notes from the 'AMI' and he says 'A safety net at last!' Context - Christchurch earthquake problems with insurance. Insurers are saying that they will only pay for repairs for houses in the Red zone that are destined for demolition but that are relatively undamaged. Maybe the cartoon is expressing an ironic response to AMI's 'total replacement' policy. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
A tall building sways and groans, creaks and rumbles during an earthquake. Someone from inside at the top of the building says 'Earthquake? No... This is an extreme adventure activity that you'll be billed for later!' Context - The earthquakes in Christchurch and the Canterbury region. The three major ones were on 4th September 2010, 22 February 2011 and 13 June 2011 and there have been hundreds of aftershocks. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
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.
A woman stands at the door of the house and wonders why the grass is only half cut. Her husband says 'We can only afford enough petrol to mow half the lawn'. Context is rising petrol prices. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Father has been nailed to the floor by his kids. He shouts with rage as he tries to walk away from his armchair. Nearby is a newspaper with the text 'Earthquake lessons - Secure all unstable objects'. Context: Stress of earthquakes in Christchurch leads eventually to comedy. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Dove carries worm to chicks in a sunlit nest; the background is broken columns and rubble. Context - the 22nd February 2012 was the first anniversary of the earthquake of 22nd February 2011 in which 185 people died. Title created by librarian Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
A man sits at his desk with an enormous sheet of blank paper headed 'New Christchurch' before him; peering over his shoulder is a huge figure who appears to be a man from an earlier era of the history of Christchurch. Context - Christchurch earthquake of 22 February 2011 and the start of debate about how city should be rebuilt. The historic man suggests a strong pull to preserve historic Christchurch. Colour and black and white versions available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
Someone holds a bucket with 'Christchurch' printed on it for collecting donations. Context - People need assistance after the devastating earthquake of the 22nd February. On 22 February 2011 at 12:51 pm (NZDT), Christchurch experienced a major magnitude 6.3 earthquake, which resulted in severe damage and many casualties. A National State of Emergency has been declared. This followed on from an original magnitude 7.1 earthquake on 4 September 2010 which did far less damage and in which no-one died. Both colour and black and white versions of this cartoon are available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
Someone wearing a Canterbury black and red rugby jersey holds onto two corners of a New Zealand flag which blows in the wind. There is no text in the cartoon. Context - On 22 February 2011 at 12:51 pm (NZDT), Christchurch experienced a major magnitude 6.3 earthquake, which resulted in severe damage and many casualties. A National State of Emergency has been declared. This followed on from an original magnitude 7.1 earthquake on 4 September 2010 which did far less damage and in which no-one died. Both colour and black and white versions of this cartoon are available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
The cartoon shows the joined hands of two people. Context - Those who have suffered from the earthquakes of 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011 in Christchurch and those who have suffered from the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear catastrophe in Japan that struck on 11 March 2011. Colour and black and white versions of this cartoon are available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
The cartoon shows the hands of two people joined in mutual despair and kindness. One represents 'Christchurch' and the other the 'Pike River Mine'. Context - the 7.1 earthquake on 4 September 2010 in Christchurch in which there was a lot of damage but no deaths, the Pike River Mine disaster which occurred on the West Coast on 19 November 2010 and caused the deaths of 29 coal miners and now on 22 February 2011 a 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch which has probably killed more than 200 people (at this point the number is still not known) and caused much more severe damage. The reason the apparently lesser magnitude quake caused more destruction is because it was very shallow, was in the middle of the day and struck very close to the centre of the city. Colour and black and white versions of this cartoon are available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
In three small frames above the main frame, milk tankers are shown bumping wildly over Christchurch roads made uneven by the earthquakes of September 4 2010 and February 22 2011; and in the large frame below a man is painting out the word 'milk' on a tanker and replacing it with the word 'butter'. Context - the bad roads caused by the erathquakes in Canterbury have turned the milk into butter. Colour and black and white versions available Title from file name Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
Christchurch City has to be rebuilt after the earthquakes of 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011. People are being invited to contribute ideas about how to rebuild on a city council website. A group of people look at ideas on computers; a boy comments that 'this one looks just like the old city' and his father comments 'but built fifty miles up the road!' A woman looks at what appears to be pre European Maori pa site and says 'Hone Harawira wants something pre-European!' Another woman looks at a map of the middle of the South Island and says 'Rodney Hide doesn't care as long as Christchurch combines with Timaru and Westport!' Context - Former ACT leader Rodney Hide in his role as Minister for Local Government likes 'supercities' and Hone Harawira has left the Maori Party, fed up with the compromises he believes they have to make to suit their coalition agreement with the National government. He seems to prefer a city that will reflect simpler pre-European times. Colour and black and white versions available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
Text reads 'Rebuilding projects'. The first of the two frames shows collapsed buildings in Christchurch after the earthquake and the second frame shows leader of the Labour Party Phil Goff sorely in need of 'credibility' as he makes the 'V' for victory sign with both hands. Context - the rebuilding of Christchurch after the earthquake of 22 March 2011 and Phil Goff's disastrous personal polling as 'preferred PM' and the concomitant problems for the Labour Party with elections in November of this year. Colour and black and white versions of this cartoon are available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
A small boy is being a real entrepreneur after the Christchurch earthquake of 22 February 2011 and has set up a road-side stall from which you can buy a bag of 'real leakyfakshun'. Behind him is a pile of liquefaction and a spade with which he can fill bags. Context - the Christchurch earthquake of 22 February has caused vastly more liquefaction than the original 4th September earthquake. The vibrations from the quake cause liquefaction which is where the soil loses strength and stiffness, and behaves more like a liquid than a solid - rather like wet sand. Colour and black and white versions available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
Someone holds a mobile phone and sends a text 'CH CH WE R ALL IN THS 2 GTHR' (Christchurch we are all in this together). Context - On 22 February 2011 at 12:51 pm (NZDT), Christchurch experienced a major magnitude 6.3 earthquake, which resulted in severe damage and many casualties. A National State of Emergency has been declared. This followed on from an original magnitude 7.1 earthquake on 4 September 2010 which did far less damage and in which no-one died. Both colour and black and white versions of this cartoon are available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
Two men discuss in a pub the problem that Christchurch has about how to house all the workers arriving to rebuild the city. One of them suggests the solution found for the workers on the Manapouri Dam which was housing them on cruise liners. Context: One solution has been provided by the Defence Force who are leasing 42 derelict NZDF houses next to Burnham Military Camp. Colour and black and white versions available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
Shows an earthquake assessor at the door of a family home. The whole family is wearing snorkles and goggles. Context: Possibly refers to claims being made by owners of leaky homes as well as earthquake victims. Colour and black and white versions available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).