Spring brings a feeling of optimism, new beginnings

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

NETWORK EFFECTS by Tessa Allan

Tessa Allan

Seven months on from Cyclone Gabrielle, do we have grounds to feel optimistic with where we are at?

Many in our community are still reeling from the effects of cyclones Gabrielle and Hale as well as other heavy-rain events, on top of tough economic conditions – but can we look forward and feel confident our community will come out the other side in a better position?

Unemployment remains low — 3.6 percent nationally in the June quarter, up from a low of 3.2 percent a year earlier. The unemployment rate for Tairawhiti is about 4.6 percent, up from a low of 3.9 percent.

Employment in tourism-related industries has returned to pre-Covid levels nationally, which is good news for the local tourism industry — fingers crossed we can look forward to a summer full of tourists and our beautiful Tairawhiti weather to bring everyone back to our region.

Much of our roading infrastructure remains in a bad state, but there has been progress.

Although temporary traffic management remains in place across the region, road closures have significantly reduced. We have seen works start on our state highways, with plans in place for rebuilding better to reduce the fragility we have been exposed to.

A huge number of bridges in our region were destroyed or were unsafe to travel on. Works have begun on repairs, with plans to replace those that are irreparable.

Alongside initial recovery support from central government, last month the Government announced a cost-sharing package with Gisborne District Council that includes a further

$125 million to rebuild our local roads and increase regional resilience, as well as $71m for flood protection work ($64m of that from central government).

There was also a $30m interest-free loan to support the council’s remediation work as well as cover its 50 percent share of buying out about 40 properties assessed as Category 3, meaning they are not safe to live in.

The council has to consult with the community before the package is confirmed, but that seems a formality. This recovery package is a good start and it is what’s on the table now. As the council said in response, more investment will be required for a full regional recovery, and it will continue to discuss this with the Government.

A rebuild doesn’t happen overnight. We have suffered hugely over the past two years, with nine significant storms damaging our region since June 2021.

But with spring comes a feeling of optimism.

With the forecast from Treasury last week that the country will avoid a recession, and see average economic growth of 2.6 percent over the next four years, there is hope New Zealand is turning a corner.

We are seeing activity in the region, although it is frustratingly slow for some home owners still waiting on an outcome for their flood-damaged homes and rural people still impacted by road closures.

Our thoughts remain with those struggling in the aftermath, as the people and businesses of Tairawhiti continue on our recovery journey.

We have to build back better so our region is more resilient in future, and to do that we must ensure both central and local government are committed to this and put in the necessary resources and expertise to improve our critical infrastructure.

■ Tessa is president of the Gisborne Chamber of Commerce and owner of occupational health services business WorkAble as well as ProTraffic alongside her husband Kurt Allan.