NZ Herald Morning News Update | New Reserve Bank Governor announced and police make a large bust.
Video / NZ Herald
Most New Zealanders want the Government to prepare for catastrophic events that could threaten New Zealand’s – and the world’s – future.
New University of Otago research shows two-thirds of Kiwis believe the Government should draft action plans for threats such as a nuclear war in the Northern Hemisphere, bioweaponsor the collapse of global institutions and trade flows.
The survey of 1000 people found bipartisan support for the idea that the Government should be responsible for preparing for such risks.
Professor Nick Wilson, senior researcher at the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Public Health, said despite New Zealand’s geographical strengths, the country was poorly placed to respond to global developments.
Aotearoa is often cited as one of the countries most likely to survive a global disaster such as a nuclear or volcanic winter, he said. “But this survival advantage will only matter if we have invested in resilience and governance structures in advance.”
Wilson highlighted agriculture’s dependence on imported fuels as a weakness. While New Zealand produced enough food for 40 million people, farming machinery still required power.
A nuclear explosion in Nevada, the US, in April 1953. A nuclear war in the Northern Hemisphere is among the threats that Kiwis feel NZ should prepare for. Photo / US Department of Energy
“There are significant gaps in our national planning for high-impact risks, making the contrast between strong public support for planning and the Government’s limited preparedness quite striking.”
Of those surveyed, 60% supported creating a dedicated commission or agency to monitor and report on catastrophic risks.
Wilson believes New Zealand can achieve this by moving beyond natural hazards, building on the existing National Risk Framework and extending it to prepare for all major risks – including doomsday scenarios.
“Public opinion is clear: most citizens want the Government to prepare for the unimaginable before it is too late,” he said.
“We ... need a dedicated agency or commission, either domestic or in partnership with Australia, to monitor, assess and co-ordinate responses to risks, and we need to invest in resilience measures, such as energy security, to ensure we can continue to produce enough food.”
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
