Iwi against $38.8m silt clean-up boost going to GDC to distribute

PILES OF SILT: A digger operator busy at work at Anzac Park this morning. Picture by Liam Clayton

The Government is providing nearly $39 million to clean up cyclone-related silt across the district but one iwi says the money is going to the wrong people to distribute it.

The funding, announced yesterday, is part of a new cyclone recovery package for Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti.

“This latest funding will help councils manage the cost of the post-cyclone clean-up. This includes collection, processing, removal and disposal of sediment and debris,” Associate Minister for Cyclone Recovery Barbara Edmonds said.

“It’s part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to help communities — including farmers, growers, whenua Māori owners and others — recover from the cyclone.

“Growers have been particularly badly affected and we’ve been listening carefully to them to work out how best to structure the assistance they’ll need to recover.

“At the same time, officials have been working alongside local authorities on funding allocations.”

A total of $133.2 million has been allocated for Hawke’s Bay and $38.8 million for Tairāwhiti.

The exact arrangements for funding for whenua Māori were still being finalised but a specific allocation has been set aside.

“For commercial properties, funding will be provided through local councils in the form of grants. Criteria have been set, including that the first $40,000 will be fully funded by the Crown, including any funding already provided through earlier support programmes.

“Funding above that will be cost-shared on a 50:50 basis and capped at $210,000. Work that businesses have already undertaken through their own funding will be able to be counted as part of their 50 percent contribution.

“Silt and debris removal is a complex and time-consuming task. Once it’s been removed from properties it needs to be processed and disposed of safely at council facilities.”

Mayor Rehette Stoltz said the $38.8 million announced for Tairāwhiti was awesome news for the region.

“Thank you for listening to our needs as a region. This means we can be proactive and build resilience while also sorting out how to dispose of the huge amount of waste washed over the region during Cyclone Gabrielle.”

“We were hit hard, and we always knew our road to recovery would take a long time.

“The Mayoral Relief Fund and help from NEMA contributed towards the significant cost of removing silt and debris.

“A huge amount of work in this area has already been coordinated by the Council and this funding will make a significant difference to whanau on the ground.

“This further funding means we can progress on the work that has already been done.”

“The Government’s direction is for $31.4m to help us out in the short term to restore our region as well as build resilience for the future of our community.

“The $7.4 million for the commercial properties is very important so land can get back to a productive state and businesses can get back to work and make a profit.

“The exact arrangements for funding for whenua Māori are being finalised but a specific allocation has been set aside by the Government.

“Te Puni Kokiri will lead engagement with affected communities to better understand the needs of landowners and the location of affected whenua.

“We thank the Government for their help.”

However, one iwi involved in the clean-up of silt from Te Karaka, which was badly hit by Cyclone Gabrielle, says giving funds to Gisborne District Council would be a waste of money.

“We/iwi are better doing things ourselves,” Te Aitanga a Mahaki lead negotiator Willie Te Aho said.

“On top of this, every cent that has come in for the Te Karaka community for Cyclone Recovery (over $500,000) has no admin costs and the community determines how that funding is spent.

“An appropriate body would have been Rau Tipu Rau Ora (Tairawhiti regional recovery governance group) but Rehette Stoltz unilaterally pulled the GDC partnership with iwi.

“For these reasons, we/Te Aitanga a Mahaki don’t support monies that can be better managed and utilised by iwi going to the GDC.

“We don’t support the full $38.8m being paid to GDC for the removal of silt.”

Mr Te Aho said those feelings were based on recent dealings with GDC during the clean-up process, where it “had been difficult” to get quality information and funding out of it.

Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty said funding would cover eligible related clean-up costs that councils had already incurred.

“Councils can choose to use the funding to remove debris from residential properties, particularly if silt and debris is blocking access.

“We will also continue to work with communities outside of these regions that have been impacted by the cyclone with the clean-up and recovery process to help them get back on their feet,” Mr McAnulty said.

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said funding silt removal was the next step along the way to helping orchardists and farmers re-establish their livelihoods.

“We moved quickly to get grants to farmers and growers so they could get on with the clean-up in February and March,” he said.

“This new additional funding will help those severely impacted by silt.”