Mr Little said the PM was told loud and clear what was needed — for example, that for the most important roads, repair work should be occurring 24 hours a day.
“We just need to get this community back to a functioning community so that if we need to go down to Hawke's Bay, we can.”
As far as housing was concerned, a major railway bridge needed to be removed so that modular housing could be brought down from Gisborne, he said.
Mr Little said there were about 60 to 70 sections ready to be built on so these could be bought and made available for intensive housing, with as many as three houses on each section.
“Let's just fast-track that. Give us some money so we can get everybody there and build these houses.”
The town was already short of about 150 houses before the storm. Now it needed another 100.
He estimated $10 million to $20 million from the Government would help with immediate housing needs.
Residents who had lost their homes and were staying at Taihoa Marae said they were relieved Mr Hipkins had finally made it after his Gisborne visit, and were glad they had not been forgotten about.
But they wanted more reassurance and support for the clean-up efforts and for accessing long-term accommodation.
While the Prime Minster was sitting down for lunch with some of Wairoa's community, whānau finally had a chance to voice their concerns and explain what they had lost from Cyclone Gabrielle.
Some were still living in cars while others have been staying at Taihoa Marae, but were unsure for how much longer.
Nevertheless, the community was glad Mr Hipkins had finally made it to town. They described his visit as relieving.
“If you're not here on the ground with us, we believe that we're all here by ourselves,” one person told RNZ.
“It's good that he's here, you know, to acknowledge us, and if he asks us any questions, then we can answer,” another said.
Trevor Mihaere's home was one of many that was yellow-stickered in the area.
That included a marae at his home, both of which were destroyed by silt.
He wanted reassurance from the Government that it would help improve the town's infrastructure to help protect it from future natural disasters.
“This is twice now. The third time we believe it will go right over our houses so if all we've got to do now, if we're doing up our houses now, we're just building quick fixes. Because we know it's going to come again,” Mr Mihaere said.
“That quick fix is only until the next one and we don't know if it's going to come this winter, next winter or tomorrow.”
Kuiwai West-Scott's home was also yellow-stickered.
She has been staying at the marae since the cyclone hit because her home was still filled with mud.
She wanted the Government to do more for those who had lost everything.
“Support the families who have lost a lot . . . help them repair their homes because there was a lot of flooding and people had to move out and go and stay with other families,” she said.
“It would be good for the Government to bring the workers in to help us clean up.”
