The aftermath of cyclone Gabrielle from above in Hawke's Bay. Video / Hastings District Council, Matt O'Kane
The minister
Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty (right), with Civil Defence Emergency Management acting director Roger Ball, after declaring a National State of Emergency on Tuesday. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Emergency Response Minister Kieran McAnulty came to Parliament in 2017 and is currently the MP for Wairarapa, a district with which his family has a 170 year history. He served as a volunteer firefighter until his election and has served on boards for Wings over Wairarapa and GoldenShears. He’s a former TAB bookmaker and economic advisor for the Masterton District Council.
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst. Photo / Supplied
Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst has been elected to the role three times and served six years as a councillor prior to that. She came to the role from the Hastings Business Association where she worked to get new businesses to the city.
Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise. Photo / NZME
Napier mayor Kirsten Wise is in her second term as mayor and fourth term on council. She was an accountant and business owner before running for mayor. Wise had previously served on the local health board after 10 years there as an employee.
Central Hawke's Bay mayor Alex Walker (left) returning from a flight to deliver welfare parcels and survey damage from Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Supplied
Central Hawke’s Bay District mayor Alex Walker was re-elected unopposed in last year’s local body elections. She’s a Waipukurau local, born and raised, and owns and operates the Chook House, a co-working space for small businesses.
Gisborne mayor Rehette Stoltz. Photo / RNZ
Gisborne’s mayor Rehette Stoltz is in her second term as mayor and has served as a councillor since 2010. Before the mayoralty, Stoltz completed a Master of Science, worked as laboratory manager for Montana Wines then set up a medical locum company. Originally from South Africa, she and her partner settled in Tairawhiti in 2000.
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little. Photo / NZME
Wairoa mayor Craig Little has held his role since 2013. He served on council for three years before running for the top job. Little is a fourth-generation farmer at Ohuka towards Lake Waikaremoana.
Hinewai Ormsby and her son Kipa have spent the past few days assisting Waohiki residents. Photo / Paul Taylor
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council chairwoman Hinewai Ormsby is the council’s youngest (39) and first Maori chair. She is of Ngāti Paaru, Ngāti Hinepare, Ngāti Mahu and Ngai Tawhao descent, and affiliated to Waiohiki, Wharerangi and Moteo marae. She’s a former high school science teacher who set up an environmental consultancy, is a director of Hawke’s Bay Tourism and chairwoman of Waiohiki Marae board of trustees.
Superintendent Jeanette Park, Eastern police district commander. Photograph / Warren Buckland
Eastern police district commander superintendent Jeanette Park has been in her role since November 2020 and is responsible for Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti. Her prior role was as area commander for Hawke’s Bay, a position she held for two years. She has been with police for more than three decades, working as a manager of crime prevention units, road policing and district intelligence, along with 10 years CIB experience.
In 2002, Park was shot while working as a detective in Feilding in an incident that saw her colleague Detective Constable Duncan Taylor killed. Park comes from Clutha.
Commander of Joint Forces New Zealand Rear Admiral Jim Gilmore. Photo / NZDF
Commander of Joint Forces New Zealand Rear Admiral Jim Gilmore has 38 years of military service which included relief missions to the Samoan tsunami and the response to the 2011 Christchurch. Gilmore’s career began with navigation then selection to train as a helicopter pilot in 1990 leading to 14 years of aviation roles.
Gilmore has since commanded major marine taskforces and risen through the ranks with major NZDF roles heavy on planning and resilience. As Joint Forces commander, Gilmore is responsible for planning deployments - such as the assistance following the cyclone - and bringing together the elements needed to achieve the plan, and then leading it.
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence Group Controller Ben Green. Photo / Supplied
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence Group Controller Ben Green is a former NZ Army officer who has been in his role since November 2020. The current disaster is the fifth to hit the area since he took the job. He left NZDF in 2008, joining one of the country’s largest veterinary services companies, Veterinary Enterprises Group, where he worked his way up from Wairoa branch manager to HR manager for the company’s 250 staff.
Wairoa’s incident controller is Juanita Savage who is the Wairoa District Council’s strategic projects manager. She joined the council three years ago after a logistics role with a commercial honey operation directing teams servicing 5000 hives. Prior to that Savage was self-employed.
St John Ambulance Hawke's Bay territory manager Brendon Hutchinson. Photo / Warren Buckland
St John operations manager Brendon Hutchinson has been the ambulance service’s manager in Hawke’s Bay since 2013. He’s a local who came to work for St John after years as a volunteer ambulance officer.
Waka Kotahi’s System Manager for Hawke’s Bay Martin Colditz. Photo / Supplied
Waka Kotahi’s system manager for Hawke’s Bay Martin Colditz has been with the government transport agency for 16 months. Prior to that, he worked for Kraft Heinz in Hawke’s Bay as its “continuous improvement manager”. He holds a Master of Science in engineering and management.
FENZ acting district manager Glen Vercoe. Photo / File
Fire and Emergency NZ acting district manager Glen Vercoe is a long-time Hawke’s Bay resident and firefighter, having raised a family in the town and committed to serving there.
