Christchurch Earthquake Books Attract Media Interest

My two Christchurch Earthquake Books, Responders and Café Reflections have been in the news quite a bit in the past two weeks. It’s been very exciting to have been interviewed on TV One Breakfast, Newstalk ZB – Chris Lynch’s show, CTV’s Canterbury Life, and in the Mainland Press (Read Article dated_7_March_2013 HERE). Sometimes the questions [...]

Why Fixed Sum Insurance is NOT the answer for Policyholders!

What’s on the horizon? – Insurance corporates are now proposing major changes to the way the private insurance industry structures its premiums- here comes ‘fixed sum insurance’ commonly referred to as ‘sum insured’. This is the cost to rebuild a home to the same size with similar materials at today’s rates. Their argument is that with a Sum Insured policy the customer has control of establishing the value of the home and ensuring that value is kept up-t ...

App shows Chch pre- and post-quake

There are new apps that enable users to point their phone at an empty plot of land and see what used to be there and what will be there in the future.\

Canterbury liquefaction vulnerability study

EQC targets millions in quake fraud

Cantabrians who have made false claims to the Earthquake Commission will be investigated by a special team that has already uncovered millions of dollars' worth of fraud.

Full file info requests result in delays

International Women’s Day: Evidence-based Policy and the Voice of Women

Software to help with Maths difficulties

Eight young pupils at St Albans Primary School have been guinea pigs for computer game software The Number Race which aims to help them improve their numeracy skills. according to this recent Press article. Software tools are being developed by …

Warnings over quake-strengthening changes

The cost of quake-strengthening buildings will be too much for many building owners, especially in small and rural towns, the Government has been told.

Christchurch Japanese remember quake in homeland

Around 50 members of the Japanese community in Christchurch have turned out to remember those who suffered in their homeland's quake and tsunami.

Flat land assessments underway

Christchurch Thesis Workshop

Please join us for a Workshop on Saturday March 9th at the Green Frame Exhibition, the following guests will present their work followed by a round table discussion: 11:00-12:00 Alastair Wells and Matthew Ayton from the Unlimited School 12:00-13:00 Jacky Bowring Head of The School of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University 14:00-15:00 Mark Billinghurst from …

Museum upgrade 'not cheap'

A massive and costly project to protect Canterbury Museum's $700 million worth of assets could see the popular attraction shut for two to three years and officials say if the improvements are not made the museum could become an international pariah and no overseas museum will risk lending it their collections.

Land Use Recovery Plan coming soon

Buck brings back Marmite

Roger Sutton and the ownership of Christchurch

Day 743 - 60 101 Students arriving to help

Just got the word.

60 students from the university 101 quake course will be turning up on Tuesday 19 March from 9am till 4pm to help. They will be doing 2 hour shifts so equivalent to 13 people.

Plan to use them for digging, shift dirt and rubble, laying AP20 and pouring concrete.

Minister thanks Aranui schools for their submissions

Education Minister Hekia Parata has thanked the five Aranui schools for their submissions on the Education Renewal Plans in greater Christchurch which have been received by the Ministry of Education.

Ferrymead Bridge delays frustrate

The repair of a bridge in Christchurch is taking longer than it took to construct San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.

Earthquake costs a 'white elephant'

The Property Council has repeated its call for government assistance on earthquake-strengthening costs for commercial buildings as part of its submission on proposals for handling earthquake-prone buildings.

Design Assembly article – like!

Emma Ng wrote this fabulous article on Gap Filler for Design Assembly – thanks Emma!   Read on …  

Mar 7: Design Assembly article – like!

Emma Ng wrote this fabulous article on Gap Filler for Design Assembly – thanks Emma!   Read on …    

Day 743 - Rolleston co-op meeting April 20

The meeting to establish a fruit & veggie co-op in Rolleston will be held at the venue 1pm April 20. All welcome.


3/710 East Maddisons Rd, Rolleston
Co-op inquiries Adrienne Bramm 347-7168
Wednesdays
Open to anyone

Day 743 - Rolleston co-op meeting March 20

The meeting to establish a fruit & veggie co-op in Rolleston will be held at the venue 1pm March 20. All welcome.


3/710 East Maddisons Rd, Rolleston
Co-op inquiries Adrienne Bramm 347-7168
Wednesdays
Open to anyone

Day 743 - calling all tenants

CALLING ALL TENANTS!!!

Tell us your story!!!

Tenants Protection Association (CHCH) Inc. is conducting a survey of the rising cost of renting and the quality and standards of rental housing in the Canterbury region post-earthquakes.

If you want to participate in this survey please contact TPA on 03 379 2297 or text 027 379 2297 or drop in to our office at 113 Tuam Street to pick up a questionnaire. Or e-mail tpa.outreach@gmail.com for an electronic copy. You can also fill it ...

Forum Meeting: Stress After Major Trauma

Wednesday March 13th: – Helen Colhoun, Clinical Psychologist, Anxiety Disorders Unit, CDHB An event that threatens your safety or makes you feel helpless is stressful.  Any overwhelming life experience can trigger this stress, especially if the event feels unpredictable and uncontrollable.  Earthquakes are a good example. Post-traumatic stress can affect both those who personally experience...

Garrick Park pitches to be restored

Quake-damaged football pitches and community centres will be repaired thanks to new grants totalling $700,000.

Forum Meeting: Anxiety, Hoarding and Clutter

Tuesday March 26th: – Juliet MacLeod, Anxiety Disorders Unit, CDHB. Saving stuff, in moderation is considered normal.  Compulsive hoarding however can’t just be chalked up to eccentricity or a character flaw, it’s more serious and harder to control than that. This otherwise healthy impulse can go too far and develop into a clinical disorder.  Juliet...

Gap Filler invited to present at Australian urban regeneration conference!

Media release …   Christchurch’s most prominent producer of creative temporary projects, Gap Filler, will deliver a keynote presentation at the Creating Spaces conference to be held in Newcastle (New South Wales) next week. Two of the three Gap Filler Founders, Coralie Winn and Dr Ryan Reynolds, will also lead five workshops over three days [...]

Mar 7: Gap Filler invited to present at Australian urban regeneration conference!

Media release …   Christchurch’s most prominent producer of creative temporary projects, Gap Filler, will deliver a keynote presentation at the Creating Spaces conference to be held in Newcastle (New South Wales) next week. Two of the three Gap Filler Founders, Coralie Winn and Dr Ryan Reynolds, will also lead five workshops over three days [...]

Insurance Competition

Jerry Larason’s hunger strike (See http://thechristchurchfiasco.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/christchurch-insurance-victim-goes-on-hunger-strike/) was successful. He settled with State Insurance this week. In fact he only had to miss breakfast. By early afternoon his claim was on its way to a resolution. (See http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8380828/Hunger-protest-earns-Jerry-a-deal-and-meal). A success story!  …

Hunger Strike Success and Insurance Competition

Jerry Larason’s hunger strike (See http://thechristchurchfiasco.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/christchurch-insurance-victim-goes-on-hunger-strike/) was successful. He settled with State Insurance this week. In fact he only had to miss breakfast. By early afternoon his claim was on its way to a resolution. (See http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8380828/Hunger-protest-earns-Jerry-a-deal-and-meal). A success story!  …

“Demand Surge” and the Implications for Policyholders

Demand surge is defined as the demand for products and services exceeding the regional capacity to efficiently supply them. This phenomenon is relevant for both Christchurch post earthquakes, and for the east coast of the US post Hurricane Sandy. It …

Assessments of land damage scrutinised

Land-damage assessments at red-zoned Christchurch properties have gone under the microscope at a High Court insurance wrangle.

All the pod cons for $250/wk

An Auckland property developer believes shipping container apartments are the answer to supplying worker accommodation for the rebuild.

All the pod cons for $250 a week

An Auckland property developer believes shipping container apartments are the answer to supplying worker accommodation for the Christchurch rebuild.

EQC misses 6000 assessments

A former EQC employee claims that EQC has missed out doing 6000 assessments and is scrambling to do these now. If you have been contacted recently your property could be one of them. And if you have not been assessed …

Political-events-banned-from-red-zone- yeah right!

Locked out of undamaged factory for 746 days Do we still own our building…. 219 days…. and who knows. Now this has got me seeing red….  Political events banned from the red zone????  My God what hypocrisy.  Bad call Roger …

Engineer denies skewing numbers

An engineer who assessed a red-zoned Christchurch house at the centre of a High Court insurance case, has been challenged.

New supermarket for the east

Construction of a new supermarket in Christchurch's eastern suburbs will begin mid-year.

Virtual fashion comp uses earthquakes as inspiration

Elections Looming – Politicians Scrambling

“ ” p 123 .

How to Deal with Fletchers from an Insider

EQC Forgets to do 6,000 Assessments

I received e-mails from two reliable sources at EQC indicating that EQC forgot to conduct 6,000 assessments in the Comet system.  EQC have scrambled together some assessors to inspect these properties.  

Green Frame Exhibition Invitation

[STUDIO CHRISTCHURCH SUMMER SCHOOL] You are warmly invited to the GREEN FRAME EXHIBITION NIGHT produced by Studio Christchurch Summer School. Feel free to extend the invitation to friends and colleagues. Please bring this invitation for entry. Studio Christchurch Summer School was a collaborative Christchurch based research and design unit organized by the four New Zealand …

Editorial: Let common sense dictate earthquake upgrades

People have until the end of the week to tell Building Minister Maurice Williamson what they think of a plan drawn up in response to the Christchurch earthquake that would bring all commercial buildings up to a specified strength.\\

Heritage loss a big concern

Probe into illegal dump sites

Demolition contractors tearing down condemned Christchurch houses are being investigated for burying debris onsite instead of dumping the material.

Experts divided on repair suggestions

Engineers suggesting repairs for an earthquake-damaged home at the centre of a landmark High Court case admit they have little experience with the repair methods.

EQC insulation turnaround 'incompetence'

A Christchurch woman is lamenting an opportunity lost after being denied the chance to have insulation installed in her earthquake-damaged home during repairs.

Dirty demolition contractors face callbacks

Demolition contractors tearing down condemned Christchurch houses are being investigated for burying debris onsite instead of dumping the material.

Man's 'shoot' remark spurs police action

A Christchurch man sparked an armed police callout after suggesting he "might as well go and shoot himself in the head" during a telephone call to the Earthquake Commission (EQC).

Marmite gift as shortage ends

A few lucky Christchurch families have tasted Marmite two weeks before the rest of the nation.

Marmite gifted as shortage ends

A few lucky Christchurch families have tasted Marmite two weeks before the rest of the nation.

Community Update 6 March 2013

New tourism opportunities in Rebuild Zone

Grace, chaos in urban village designs

No record of Williamson's conflict instruction

The government department that regulates the building industry has no record of instructions that the minister responsible for the sector says he made to avoid a possible conflict of interest.

Protect lives, not property: Forum

Government should set a minimum seismic building-strength standard to protect lives rather than the properties themselves, according to most intellectual property respondents canvassed by Bayleys Research.

Quake claim 'wildly over' top estimates

A red-zoned Christchurch couple's claim for an insurance payout nearly $1 million above their home's rateable value was "wildly over" the most optimistic cost estimates, a court has heard.