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Several Auckland councillors are objecting to Mayor Wayne Brown’s decision to personally commission the $100,000 independent review of the emergency response to last month’s fatal floods.
Meanwhile, MetService is warning of more rain for the already battered Auckland region today.
Yesterday, Brown has released the terms of reference for an independent review into the city’s immediate emergency response to the deluge.
Former Police Commissioner Mike Bush has been appointed to head the review.
Report on the performance of the immediate official emergency response to the Auckland weather event of January 27-28, 2023; and
Identify any actions that need to be implemented immediately to ensure better preparation for the next event.
At least one of the 20 councillors in the Governing Body the mayor also sits on has group replied via email to question the terms and scope of the flood review commissioned by Brown.
According to the mayor’s office, the scope will include actions and decision’s by Brown’s office as well as other local and national agencies.
“The Mayor’s Office will fully co-operate with the review and expects other agencies to do the same, including by providing the review with whatever information it requests,” the office said in a statement.
It is understood other councillors agree the review should be commissioned by central government given Auckland Council’s processes and communication, which have already been widely criticised, will come under heavy scrutiny in the review.
Minister for Emergency Management, Kieran McAnulty, has been proposed as the person who should set the terms of reference.
Bush will be joined on the four-member review panel by Gary Knowles, who led the Pike River Mine disaster response for police and was the former director of Civil Defence. Other members are Debbie Francis, the former chief people officer at the New Zealand Defence Force, who has served as an independent investigator into workplace culture at Parliament, and Michael Paki, a former police sergeant and senior investigator who served as head of iwi and community relations at Counties Manukau.
The group intends to issue a public report by March 6.
The panel’s budget will start at $100,000 but additional funds may be negotiated if needed, the mayor’s office said.
In announcing the review panel and its function, Brown acknowledged again that the response was not up to standard.
“As I said on Friday, I dropped the ball the night of 27 January, especially with my communication, and I am sorry.
“All our decisions and actions must be reviewed thoroughly, and clear and direct recommendations made so that we all do better for Aucklanders next time. Time is of the essence – with climate change, we do not know when [or] how soon the next severe weather event or other civil defence emergency might occur.”
The review will be the first but is unlikely the last into the storm response, Brown said, predicting that others might be ordered by Government.
Among other questions, the panel will specifically consider:
Should the state of local emergency have been recommended and approved earlier than it was; and, if so, when and why, and why did this not happen; and what were the consequences?
How effective and timely were related communications, including declarations and alerts, with partner agencies, central government, elected members (including the mayor) and the public?
Councillor Sharon Stewart, chair of Auckland Council’s Civil Defence and Emergency Management Committee, welcomed the review.
“Everyone needs to do better. The committee and I are looking forward to these independent insights from Mr Bush and his team into how we can all do better.”
Auckland councillor Daniel Newman also welcomed the inquiry.
“The terms of reference have been based on Mr Bush’s advice and will be helpful in understanding the gaps in the initial response as well as identifying any actions that need to be implemented immediately to improve the council’s preparedness for the next event.
“Alongside this review, Auckland Council’s ability to effectively lead the region’s readiness, response and recovery tasks when civil defence emergencies occur will need to be further examined. This is essential as we work to repair our broken region.”
Newman said the findings would help identify the root cause of some of the problems that occurred when the storm hit.
