GDC joins local authority push for urgent Govt funding

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

Gisborne District Council is backing a proposal from Regional and Unitary Councils Aotearoa - Te Uru Kahika  that seeks urgent government funding for flood protection work.

The chairs of 10 of the 11 regional councils and four of the six unitary bodies — backed by a further 29 mayors of local authorities — have a reworked proposal that went to the previous government last year.

The revised document, Before the Deluge 2.0, calls for co-investment, with the Government putting up about $200m towards around 80 flood protection projects around the country.

“Regional and Unitary councils have already approved their $131m contribution to these projects,” the document says.

“They are set to complete delivery by 2026/27, provided Government chooses to make an urgent co-investment decision.”

Gisborne District Council director of community lifelines Tim Barry said GDC was part of Te Uru Kahika and supported the proposals.

“The planned flood protection works Gisborne District Council had in this document, Before the Deluge, have been removed.

“This is because in October 2023, the council accepted a funding package from the Government of $204 million.

“Part of that was $64 million of flood resilience funding towards Tairāwhiti risk mitigation investments and protection, which included work that had been in this document.

“This $64 million in funding must be spent within 10 years and is a direct result of Cyclone Gabrielle.

“It is funding the post-Gabrielle recovery work essential to the district around flood resilience.

“However, this funding, although substantial, is reactive and short-term.

“The longer-term issue is ongoing sustainable investment of funding into flood control infrastructure.

“As a council, we fully support the document Before the Deluge.

“We know earlier flood management investment pays dividends and that it’s better to invest ahead of an event rather than clean up after an event.

“We also need to ensure every council in New Zealand is ready to meet the challenge of more frequent and severe storms and cyclones.

“This work is the first step in climate adaptation.”