Key witness in CTV Building collapse refuses to give evidence

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The man in charge of the construction of the Canterbury Television Building is continuing to refuse to give evidence at the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission

Families reflect on first week of evidence about CTV collapse

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission hearing into the collapse of the Canterbury Television Building has ended for the week after four days of compelling evidence.

Lack of engineering assessments investigated

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A lack of building inspections and the engineers to carry them out has come under further scrutiny at the Royal Commission of inquiry into the Canterbury earthquakes.

Hearing into Canterbury earthquakes begins today

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Royal Commission hearings into the Canterbury earthquake begin in Christchurch today to examine why some of the newer buildings in the city's CBD failed so badly.

Fairfax Video, September 2012 (9)

Videos, UC QuakeStudies

A video of Press journalist Martin Van Beynen talking about the Canterbury Television Building which collapsed during the 22 February 2011 earthquake. Beynen investigates the construction manager of the building, Gerald Shirtcliff, who allegedly faked an engineering degree and stole the identity of an engineer he knew in South Africa. The video also includes footage of Shirtcliff giving evidence about the CTV Building at the Canterbury Earthquake Royal Commission.

Christchurch MPs want inquiry into possible CTV fraud

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission says it will not re-open its inquiry into the CTV building collapse, despite fresh allegations against the building's construction manager.

Head of firm that designed CTV building accepts responsiblity

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The head of the structural engineering firm that supervised the design of the Canterbury Television building appeared yesterday at the Royal Commission into the Canterbury Earthquakes.

Engineering profession is in crisis - engineer

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A structural engineer has told the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission that illegal building techniques are being used in the Christchurch rebuild because the engineering profession is in crisis.

PGC property manager defends lack of detailed assessment

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has heard the property manager of the Pyne Gould building did not organise detailed engineering assessments after the first quake in September.

Quake families say lack of legal help leaves them without voice

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A spokesperson for the families of the victims of the Christchurch earthquake says without legal representation their voice will not be heard during the Royal Commission.

New Zealand Defence Force photograph 588

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Aerial image of the Christchurch central city taken by the Royal New Zealand Air Force for the Earthquake Commission. The Hotel Grand Chancellor can be seen.

Vertical shaking from February earthquake not unique

Audio, Radio New Zealand

An earthquake engineer has told the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission that the intense vertical shaking during the February 2011 earthquake wasn't unique and was similar to events overseas.

Midday News for 15 April 2013

Audio, Radio New Zealand

An Assistant Police Commissioner may have to give evidence in Kim Dotcom's compensation case and the Government accepts almost all the recommedations made by the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission.

Quake hearing told building in use despite yellow placard

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A property manager has been questioned at the Royal Commission investigating the Canterbury earthquakes about why he didn't tell tenants the building they worked in was unsafe.

Christchurch Press 15 September 2012: Section A, Page 1

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

Page 1 of Section A of the Christchurch Press, published on Saturday 15 September 2012.

Christchurch Press 15 September 2012: Section C, Page 2

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

Page 2 of Section C of the Christchurch Press, published on Saturday 15 September 2012.

Midday News for 6 March 2012

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The family of a Christchurch earthquake victim wants the Royal Commission to investigate all Search and Rescue efforts during the disaster. The Government faces a higher-than-forecast Budget deficit.

Overseas expert shocked at design of PGC building

Audio, Radio New Zealand

An American engineer has told the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission he was shocked at the failure of builders to properly fix the floors of the PGC building to its walls.

PGC building owner says he did all he could to make it safe

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Pyne Gould building tenants in Christchurch have told the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Canterbury Earthquakes hearing they didn't feel safe there after the September quake.

Grand Chancellor checked for damage four times before February

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Canterbury earthquake's Royal Commission has heard that the Hotel Grand Chancellor was checked for earthquake damage - and cleared for use four times prior to the February 22nd earthquake.

Overseas experts to give evidence at quake inquiry

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Royal Commission into the Canterbury Earthquakes continues today, with overseas experts critiquing a New Zealand report that calls for a two-billion dollar upgrade to strengthen earthquake-prone buildings.

Officials put barriers in way of strengthening building - owner

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A Christchurch businessman has told the Earthquake Royal Commission the city council was a nightmare to deal with when he was trying to strengthen his building before the September quake.

Families react to firm destroying CTV design information

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The director of the structural engineering company that designed the CTV building came under fire yesterday over documents missing from evidence his firm submitted to the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission.

Role of engineer in inspecting Chch building under spotlight

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A structural engineer who ordered a building green stickered though he'd failed to do another thorough check on it has defended his inspections at the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission.

Christchurch Press Infographic: 11 December 2012 (3)

Images, UC QuakeStudies

An infographic showing the causes of the CTV building collapse.

Heritage order may have contributed to the deaths

Audio, Radio New Zealand

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.

Expert says developers should be required to submit soil rpts

Audio, Radio New Zealand

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.

New Zealand Defence Force photograph 164

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Aerial image of a residential area of Christchurch taken by the Royal New Zealand Air Force for the Earthquake Commission. Porritt Park is visible on the right of the photograph.

Christchurch Press Infographic: 11 December 2012 (4)

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A banner listing the 115 people who died in the CTV building collapse.

Christchurch Press Infographic: 15 December 2012 (3)

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A banner listing the 18 people who died in the PGC building collapse.