The Tūtaekurī River stopbank near Taradale, Napier, pictured during the height of the Cyclone Gabrielle floods. Photo / Paul Taylor
The Tūtaekurī River stopbank near Taradale, Napier, pictured during the height of the Cyclone Gabrielle floods. Photo / Paul Taylor
The Government says it is continuing to promote a locally led, Government-supported recovery following Sunday’s significant $941 million pre-Budget announcement in Hawke’s Bay.
The $941m spend announced in Cyclone Gabrielle-slammed Hawke’s Bay included $475m to rebuild road and rail links that will take funding pressure off local councils.
“Cyclone recovery is a core focus of this year’s Budget, and today’s package adds to the $890 million already provided in a rolling maul of repair works and business support,” said Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.
“This recovery package will get roads, rail and schools back to where they were before the extreme weather hit this year so communities can get back to normal as soon as possible.”
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins makes a pre-Budget announcement at the Tūtaekurī River stopbank in Taradale, Napier. Photo/Warren Buckland
Roughly $100m has been set aside to raise breached stopbanks and shore up lifelines that failed during record rainfalls.
There’s also a $116m Government commitment to rebuild or repair every damaged school - the worst-hit of which have been told it will be up to three years before they can return to normal operation.
Another $6m will go towards employment, training and social support, while $10m will be put towards community-led mental health support.
Rural communities will also receive a much-needed boost, with $35m going towards supporting rural communities with advice, transportation and maintenance.
Treasury previously estimated that the damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland Anniversary weekend floods could range from $9 billion to $14.5 billion.
Hipkins was joined by Finance and Cyclone Recovery Minister Grant Robertson, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) chairwoman Hinewai Ormbsy and a selection of other ministers and council staff for the announcement aside the Taradale stopbank.
“We know the real knowledge about what needs to be done lies here in the region,” Robertson said.
He said that while people would understand that the Government “can’t pay for everything”, he clarified that announcements like today’s would affirm that they were a “committed partner”.
Ormsby said the announcement came as welcome news to HBRC. She described the recovery in Hawke’s Bay as a “journey, not a sprint”, and said it allowed the council to focus on the rebuild and enhance resilience.
“This funding is a start to support the region’s resilience to major climate events. As well as critical infrastructure investment, there is funding for welfare, and this is incredibly important for those people impacted by the cyclone,” she said.
Ormsby also thanked leaders and the Prime Minister for their continued support.
“We do appreciate the thought and consideration in [Government leaders] returning to Hawke’s Bay since the cyclone.”
The Taradale stopbank, which completed a significant upgrade last year through the Government’s co-investment partnership with HBRC, was said to prevent further flood damage to the wider Napier area.
Hipkins said a big emphasis of the announcement was on rebuilding infrastructure so communities could be better protected in the future, and he confirmed that this was not the end of the funding that would come from Government.
“We made the commitment when we came up here immediately after the cyclone that we would support the communities affected through the recovery effort,” he said.
“This was never going to be an overnight recovery effort; it is one that is going to take some time, and you’ve already seen a significant amount of investment from the Government.”
Hawke's Bay Regional Council chairwoman Hinewai Ormsby thanked the Government for its help and continued partnership. Photo / Warren Buckland
Roberston confirmed the spend of $475m that was announced to help rebuild road and rail links and take funding pressure off local councils wasn’t just for state highways, but also for local roads.
“Through this funding, Waka Kotahi [New Zealand Transport Agency] will be able to consider requests from affected regions for higher levels of direct financial support to rebuild local roads,” said Minister of Transport Michael Wood.
“We’re also investing to repair the North Island rail to restore this crucial transport connection for people and freight, with a $200 million funding injection.”
Regarding mental health funding, Robertson said lessons were learned from the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, and he acknowledged the Government needed to “do more”.
He said this new funding announcement would include the extension of the successful Mana Ake programme developed following the Christchurch quakes into every school in Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti.
“We know from other disasters in New Zealand and globally that mental health impacts emerge over time,” said Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall.
“The demand for various services will change over the next six to 12 months, and our response will evolve to ensure we’re responding.”
Education minister Jan Tinetti said the Government was also committed to return all schools impacted by the Auckland flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle to their pre-weather event state.
“This funding can be used to employ relief staff, provide teaching/principal release time, support students with engagement and wellbeing, or employ additional teachers for those schools that have experienced increased enrolment due to enrolling students from weather-affected areas,” she said.
Hawke’s Bay’s Lead Recovery Minister Kieran McAnulty, who recently took up the role, said he was committed to working with the Government to continue the dialogue with local MPs around community needs and outcomes.
He also announced that part of the funding would support the safety and wellbeing of farmers, growers and stock in cyclone-damaged areas by scaling up on-farm technical, scientific and financial advice.
“Essentially, the role of the regional recovery minister is to be their voice in Cabinet, and I’ve been a part of Hawke’s Bay since I was elected to Parliament because the Wairarapa electorate goes into Central Hawke’s Bay.”
He said the new Government structure just formalised what the team was already doing.
Hipkins said the announcement more than doubled previous funding announcements and this solidified the Government’s commitment to deliver with regard to helping flood-affected regions.
“We know that over time, we will have to stand by these communities and continue to see through this work, and we can recover and prosper.”
