Latest from Canterbury

Joyce won't write blank cheques

Finance Minister Steven Joyce outlines his attitude to Auckland's woes, Super Fund and tax.

Xmas week weather: Gusts, rain, sun

If variety is the spice of life, this week is set to be a lively one.

Richie and Gemma buy dream home

All Blacks great Richie McCaw and fiancee Gemma Flynn have splashed out on a spectacular $2.5m family home.

Chch homeowners to proceed against insurer

A group of Christchurch homeowners have been given the thumbs up to proceed with a class action against their insurer, Southern Response.

'Nothing has bloody well happened'

When Kaikoura locals told visiting PM Bill English the Govt effort was "piss poor" in the quake-strewn region, Gerry Brownlee let them have it.

Garden gnome basher's appeal thrown out

A jealous truck driver who hit his neighbour and occasional lover with a garden gnome and bashed her to death with a metal bar has failed to get off his conviction.

Hundreds of ACC quake claims

Hundreds of people have lodged injury claims following last month's massive magnitude-7.8 earthquake.

Quake grant for damaged homes

People whose houses were damaged in last month's earthquake can apply for a $1000 Red Cross grant.

School leavers unaffected by quakes - study

School leavers remarkably unaffected by earthquakes, surprising research finds.

$700k earthquake stopbank repair bill

Repairs to South Island stopbanks damaged in the Kaikōura earthquake is expected to cost nearly $700,000.

Shorter sentence for dance party rapist

A Christchurch man who committed a series of sexual offences, including rapes, at ''raves'' in several parts of the South Island has had his sentence reduced.

When a quake delivers a lake

A huge new body of water on their property wasn't part of their plan, but these North Canterbury farmers want to make hay while the sun shines.

Experts warn whitebait fishery threatened

A licence to fish for whitebait, much like the Fish and Game sports fishing licence, has been suggested as one way of managing the fishery.

Bleak future for Lancaster Park

A new report has found it would cost more than $250million to repair Christchurch's earthquake-battered Lancaster Park.

Canterbury pair located after concerns during West Coast tramping trip

A pair of overdue Canterbury trampers had a lucky escape from predicted bad weather last evening after their delayed arrival at the

NCEA exam results release date revealed

After an exam season marred by mistakes, the date NCEA students will be able to check their results online has been released.

Are councils prepared enough for oil spills?

Fewer than half of councils have enough staff trained to respond to marine oil spills.

Summer temperatures hit 30C

Parts of the North Island are expected to hit 30 degrees today, with Hawke's Bay getting the biggest dose of the sun's rays.