Canterbury Mornings

Christchurch mosque attacks victim Farid Ahmed has been named as a semifinalist in the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards.Finalists were announced for six categories on Tuesday.A spokesperson said after the March 15 attack, Farid became a global symbol of peace and forgiveness.Christchurch mosque attacks victim Farid Ahmed joins Canterbury Mornings host Chris Lynch in studio this morning.LISTEN ABOVE

Christchurch may not be in lockdown but businesses are still doing it tough.Government has offered a variety of support options to ensure employers don't take any chances with Covid-19.Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce chief executive Leeann Watson told Chris Lynch it's vital businesses are aware of the options.She says there is no reason for an employer to put pressure on an employee - or for a worker to feel they must be at work to survive.LISTEN ABOVE 

A Christchurch charitable trust which helped raise money for the Mosque Attacks is coming under the spotlight for heavy spending.An independent review ordered by the City Council of the Christchurch Foundation has found similar foundations in Wellington and Auckland spend much less.Councillor Yani Johanson told Chris Lynch the report by Deloittes raises a few concerns.He says the council gave the foundation $3.4 million to operate and only got $2.5 million of value.Johanson says tomorrow's council meeting is an opportunity to seek answers from the report's questions.LISTEN ABOVE

A minute silence today will mark 10 years since the Christchurch earthquakeIt struck at 12.51 in the afternoon, at a magnitude of 6.2 - 10 kilometres south-east of the city and just five kilometres deep185 people from more than 20 countries died - with more than half perishing in the CTV building.A large crowd will gather today for a national memorial service to mark the tenth anniversary of Christchurch's earthquake.It will be held at the Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial, on the banks of the Avon River, downstream from the Montreal St bridge.The service will include a minute’s silence at 12.51pm, the exact time the magnitude-6.2 earthquake struck.Newstalk ZB reporter Tim Cronshaw was working for The Press at the time, and was on the top floor of their office when it collapsed. He joined Chris Lynch to discuss his memories from that day and his experiences surviving the collapse. LISTEN ABOVE 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is in Christchurch to mark the ten year anniversary of the deadly earthquake.Ardern told Newstalk ZB's Chris Lynch she particularly remembers the images of the earthquakeShe remembered going down for a session in Parliament that day and the "sombre atmosphere," she said."When one part of the country experiences tragedy, there is just an enormous desire from New Zealanders to show solidarity, that's immediately where we go.""I was speaking to a person this morning in their early 20s and you can see, talking about the quake, it was a very vivid memory for someone so young at the time.""My message would be that I don't think anyone should feel any sort of pressure to no longer feel how acute it was or to move on, if people are still experiencing the trauma, that is completely natural and understandable and I hope we put aside that kiwi stoic nature."Ardern said her role today was to bring along support from the rest of New Zealand and showing Canterbury that it never left."Christchu

A homecoming two hundred years in the making.Students at Burnside Primary will today collect boulder cooper butterflies from McLeans Island, and bring them back into the city.Human settlement once forced the endemic species out into the Canterbury plains.Christchurch "bug man" Ruud Kleinpaste told Chris Lynch a special garden has been constructed in the school to enable them to thrive.Kleinpaste says the butterfly hasn't inhabited Christchurch for around 200 years.LISTEN ABOVE 

Councillors are being called out over Christchurch's cycleways debate.In what's been called 'political grandstanding', Councillors Aaron Keown and Sam MacDonald are calling  for the proposed design of a $19 million cycleway to be scrapped.Christchurch City Councillor for the Heathcote ward, Sara Templeton told Chris Lynch some councillors are openly opposed to offering residents more transport options.She says the growing number of people wanting to embrace greener forms of transport, like cycling, are being treated as a small minority not worth listening to.LISTEN ABOVE

Every Friday, Chris Lynch is joined by Mike Yardley to wrap the week that was.Listen above.

Minister for Police Poto Williams and National MP Gerry Brownlee joined Chris Lynch to discuss the week in politics. Listen above.

The man behind Christchurch's Terrace precinct says it's no place for gangs.A man remains in hospital, after being king hit outside the strip of bars about 1am on Sunday.Police say the attacker was part of the Mongrel Mob group in the city for a hui.It happened in packed crowds on the popular Oxford TerraceDeveloper Anthony Gough told Chris Lynch the attack was out of the ordinary."The fact that they don't wear patches around the terrace is an indication that they don't like being rejected."LISTEN ABOVE

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel joined Chris Lynch on the show for the weekly catch up.Listen above.

Christchurch's mayor is promising a planned cycleway won't ride roughshod over businesses.Copenhagen Bakery is unhappy with the loss of carparks from narrowing Harewood Road from four lanes to two, to make way for the Wheels to Wings cycleway.Mayor Lianne Dalziel says this is no slam dunk development - and 80 adjustments have been made to make other cycleways work for everybody.Dalziel told Chris Lynch a genuine consultation is occurring, and she will personally speak to the bakery owners.The major cycleway will pass through three suburbs, and connect with other cycle routes.LISTEN ABOVE

There has been another fire in Christchurch, this time at an abandoned house.Emergency services were alerted to the blaze in Fendalton about 2.15am today and arrived to a two-storey home well involved.The Fendalton fire is one of two suspicious blazes in Christchurch in the past three days.Another started in Park Terrace on Monday a man has been charged with Arson.Fire and Emergency’s Response Coordinator Colin Russell told Chris Lynch these fires are happening in tinder dry conditions.He says you only have to remember the Port Hills and Tasman fires to see just how much damage can be done with a spark.Russell says anyone with that mindset needs to think about the impact of their actions.LISTEN ABOVE

Owner of popular Christchurch bakery fears her business will not survive new road layout planned for Harewood road. Copenhagen Bakery owner Donna Thompsen told Chris Lynch the planned cycleway and removal of car parks will annihilate their business. She says a lot of their customers are over 60 years old and they are not likely to be getting on bikes. Listen above. 

A Christchurch City councillor is horrified a busy road might reduce from four lanes to two to allow cycle lanesAaron Keown is against narrowing Harewood Road, as part of a planned Wheels to Wings cycleway through Papanui, Bishopdale and Harewood, costing more than $20 million.Keown told Chris Lynch it will hurt businesses, as there will be fewer car parks.He says there's been no feedback that this makes sense - and it will reduce traffic flow.Keown says the community should have stronger input in cycle lanes first.Listen above.

Cantabrians will be looking to dust off their fans and sprinklers this week.Christchurch is looking to reach 29C on Monday followed by a scorching high of 36C on Tuesday as a ridge of warm weather moves across the country.Chris Lynch spoke to Tony Trewinnard from Blue Skies Weather for the detail on what to expect.Listen above. 

For the first edition of Politics Friday for 2021, Chris Lynch was joined by Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb and National MP Gerry Brownlee. Listen above.

The Yardstick returns for 2021. Every Friday Chris Lynch is joined by Mike Yardley to wrap the week that was.Listen above.

Concerns 4x4 drivers are oblivious to the damage they are causing.Endangered native birds are at risk at Canterbury's Ashley River from people driving through black-billed gulls' nests.Ashley Rakahuri Rivercare group member Grant Davies told Chris Lynch it's deeply disappointing given the efforts made to protect the birds.He says his group is working to educate people to not drive along braided river beds during the nesting season.Davies says the black-billed gull is nationally critically endangered.Listen above.

National Party Leader Judith Collins joined Chris Lynch for the final time of 2020 on Canterbury Mornings to look back on the year. Listen above.