Canterbury Mornings

Tony Trewinnard from Blue Skies Weather spoke to Chris Lynch about what's in store for Christchurch's weather for the week of the 28th of May.

The chair of the Welfare Expert Advisory Group says as well as the system, it will be looking at ways to overhaul the stigma around beneficiaries.The group will conduct a broad review of the welfare system, and consider issues such as sanctions, and benefit levels.Chair Professor Cindy Kiro told Chris Lynch, it's also important to shift the narrative.Cindy Kiro says while changes are urgently needed, they want to take the time to consider all the evidence to avoid unintended consequences.

Christchurch residents won't notice a change in the taste of water straight away - despite the council halving the level of chlorine.Temporary Chlorination got underway in April - as the city's well heads were secured. Thousands of residents have since complained the city's drinking water chlorination levels are too high.Mayor Lianne Dalziel told Chris Lynch, it's complex with each bore having to be treated differently. She says they've got the sign off of the drinking water assessor to pull back but she doesn't want people to think they will notice a difference straight away. Lianne Dalziel says with a lower dose , the chlorine has to have longer contact with the water before entering the system.

Four intrepid young explorers crossing the Greenland Ice Cap have just reached the halfway point on their gruelling 560-kilometre expedition.The team, which includes Kiwis Brando Yelavich and Hollie Woodhouse are making the crossing on skis, dragging 60 kilograms of supplies and equipment behind them on sledges.General Manager Operations and Communications of the Antarctic Heritage Trust, Francesca Eathorne, spoke to Richard Green about how the journey is going for them so far.

Emily Heazlewood from Romer was in to fill Richard Green in on the top five experiences in Christchurch this winter. Check out the Romer App page for more details here: https://appromer.com/trending/before-winter-canterbury 

Richard Green spoke to National MP Nicky Wagner and Poto Williams about bus routes in they city, fuel and power prices. 

A youth trust wants to build an inner city adventure camp in the Christchurch Red Zone.The 180 Degrees Trust plans to establish the youth facility for young people who struggle with mainstream education or have lost their way.If it goes ahead, the facility would be funded through donations, and existing contracts with the MSD and MoE.Richard Green spoke to Managing Director of the Trust Jeremy Nurse who says youths would be offered formal education alongside outdoor learning activities such as horse riding, kayaking and native plant propagation.

A Canterbury academic is concerned a submission by the Human Rights Commission to the United Nations is anti-Maori.In a submission last year the Commission recommended that the Human Rights Act needs to be amended because it is unable to be utilised in respect of religious hate speech directed a Muslim New Zealanders.But University of Canterbury Maori Academic Melissa Derby says it's protecting immigrant groups and discriminating against Maori.Melissa Derby says its crazy legislation which she hopes wont go through. 

The chance of patients avoiding permanent brain damage or disability from stroke looks set to dramatically improve, thanks to the success of a New Zealand hospital telehealth pilot now being progressively rolled out nationwide.Richard Green spoke to Neurologist and pilot lead Dr Anna Ranta about Telescope and what it means for stroke sufferers. 

Chris Lynch spoke to former Head of Dermatology at Christchurch Hospital Dr Victoria Scott-Lang about what she is seeing in her patients at KM Surgical since the chlorination of the Christchurch water supply.

An MP's concerned medical advice wasn't taken seriously - or even allowed at the quarry hearing. Selwyn MP Amy Adams says people's health being compromised in their homes, business and pre-schools - isn't good enough. "It's just not the right way to go when you've got health authorities both here in Christchurch and around the world saying we shouldn't allow this quarry in Greywacke this close to residential properties." Adams says the lack of medical consultation raises real questions about the behaviour of consent authorities. 

The Mayor of Christchurch mayor says her city's spirit is not in good shape.Around 150 Christchurch leaders gathered for a post-budget briefing this morning, along with the Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration Megan Woods and  Mayor Lianne Dalziel.Dalziel says council surveys of residents, and their submissions on the long-term-plan,  don't paint a bright picture. "There is a degree of dispiritedness in the city that I haven't seen in quite some time and I think it's just getting just hard for people who find their environments very challenging." Dalziel says it's not just about completing anchor projects - but getting the city back on it's feet so it can take advantage of opportunities again. 

Residents living near a Christchurch quarry are off to the Environment Court to stop it moving closer to their homes. The Regional Council granted Road Metals consent to enlarge at a hearing last week.A submission, from an independent air quality controller, maintains there would be little impact from dust from the quarry.But local Annell McDonagh says, while the dust isn't visible,  monitors on her property show levels of PM10,  which can contribute to heart and lung disease, often exceed recommended amounts. "When it's really high, I can walk around that monitor and not see any dust at all because this stuff is invisible. It gets into our houses, especially at the moment when using heat pumps, it gets in there."

A hearings panel is recommending Denton Park be dropped as a site for a 35 million dollar pool and librarySave Denton Park Group Chair Mark Peters says Kyle Park on the other side of Hornby is a much more suitable optionA hearings panel made the decision at a hearing today.Save Denton Park Group had put forward Kyle Park as a better suited venue.

Great news for Christchurch with the $300 million in the government's 2018 Budget for finishing of anchor projects. National MP Nicky Wagner, congratulates Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Megan Woods, on really pushing for Christchurch and delivering on her election promise. They also talk where are we at with the Cathedral and council's handling of chlorination of the tap water.LISTEN ABOVE AS NICKY WAGNER AND MEGAN WOODS TALK TO CHRIS LYNCH

Supporters of a proposed water sports lake for Christchurch's Red Zone say their submission on the Long Term Plan was well received by the City CouncilEast Lake Trust wants to see the proposed lake back on the table after Regenerate scrapped it from the Red Zone land use plan.Trust chair David Goodman says councillors asked a lot of questions over why Regenerate excluded the lake proposal from the upcoming public feedback exhibition.LISTEN ABOVE AS CHRIS LYNCH TALKS TO DAVID GOODMAN

Chris Lynch spoke to Christchurch City Council's Acting Head of Three Waters and Waste, Helen Beaumont about the taste and smell of chlorine in the Christchurch water supply. 

The Crusaders are among many interested parties awaiting the government budget announcements tomorrow.A delegation from the Crusaders, including All Blacks Captain Kieran Read, yesterday made a submission to the Christchurch City Council's long term plan, to bring forward funding for a new multi purpose stadium to replace Lancaster Park.Crusaders CEO Hamish Riach told Newstalk ZB's Chris Lynch tomorrow's Budget will provide some clarity how how things will progress.

An eczema sufferer says she's had an unbearable reaction to the chlorine in Christchurch's water supply.The council began rolling out temporary chlorination last month - while the city's wellheads are fixed.While council maintains it got the levels right - more than a thousand residents have complained water from their showers and taps smells like a swimming pool.For Halswell resident Kim Arnst it's been a painful process."My eyelids are cracked. I wake up every morning with them swollen over and bleeding and cracks around my nose and my mouth and my knuckles are doing the same." Kim admits she'd be in the minority when it comes to her reaction to chlorine.She told Chris Lynch that as a one-income family they can't afford water filters - and doctors bills and medications are costing her hundreds of dollars.

A former Gloriavale member believes Hopeful Christian's original intentions for founding the community were good and pure, but that's not what the community has turned into. Hopeful Christian, born Neville Cooper, died yesterday, after battling cancer.He began the West Coast-based religious sect almost 50-years ago, and later serving prison time for sexual abuse charges.David Ready, 19, left the sect two years ago. He told Chris Lynch that Christian's motives went off track and he wouldn't listen to anyone."It just got worse and worse and worse and worse to the point that it is today, where it's not a very happy environment. Basically, the choice is be happy or don't be happy. Those are the same choices you'd get in jail."Ready says he visits his family in Gloriavale - but the leaders don't like it at all.He hopes they will be safer now that Christian is gone. "His control, his power, his decision he makes, a lot of them have long term, harmful effects, and now that he's gone, a lot of them have died with him