Peter Wood writes on the importance of resuming commerce after an emergency.

At least 22 commercial properties and 50 homes in the small quake-damaged North Canterbury town of Kaiapoi have been deemed unsafe, with its mayor admitting the town is changed forever.

Most schools in the quake-devastated Canterbury region are not likely to open until Monday, the Education Minister says.

The final bill for the Christchurch earthquake may reach $4 billion, almost double initial estimates, Treasury Secretary John Whitehead said afternoon.

The Government has set aside $2.4 million for trauma counselling for Christchurch earthquake victims, Paula Bennett says.

The state of emergency in Christchurch has been extended a further seven days following an aftershock of 5.1 on the Richter scale this morning.

An urgent care plan is needed to meet the needs of NZ's over 65 population which will rise by 84pc in the next 15 years, according to a review.

An open source online map has been set up to help Cantabrians find help nearest to them.

The political stakes have suddenly become very high as the enormity of the earthquake's impact becomes more and more apparent.

When Maurice Williamson is moved to label critics of the sale of farmland to Chinese buyers "racist", you have to accept he's not just joking around.

Julia Gillard's nail-biting victory over Opposition leader Tony Abbott, 17 days after Australians went to the polls, has hardly been convincing, writes Greg Ansley.

Julia Gillard has finally been confirmed as Australia's first elected female Prime Minister, more than two weeks after an election that has now given her a razor-thin majority.

Julia Gillard will continue as Prime Minister of Australia after two independent MPs pledged allegiance to the Labor Party this afternoon.

The panic to bail out SCF reveals cracks in the economy, writes Gareth Morgan.