Govt asked to reconsider Gisborne aid decision

Gisborne's flood recovery team will ask the Government to reconsider its decision not to provide financial aid to flood-stricken growers and land-owners after further heavy rain and flooding hit the region last night.

More than 400 residents of Te Karaka, 32km north-west of Gisborne, were put on evacuation stand-by last night as the Waipaoa River threatened to burst its banks after heavy rain and strong winds caused flooding, power cuts and road closures.

Between 200 and 250mm of rain has fallen over the past three days in the hill country north of Gisborne. The highest fall was 305mm inland from Tolaga Bay.

Gisborne also suffered massive flooding over Labour weekend last month. Torrential rain lashed the region, with some areas north of Gisborne receiving more than 300mm of rain.

Around 50 families were evacuated, roads closed, and power and water supplies were cut. Hundreds of hectares worth of crops were destroyed.

It was estimated the October floods destroyed about 2000ha of crops at an estimated cost of $10 million.

The Government decided not to fund a full agricultural recovery package because the Labour weekend floods were not devastating enough. Instead it provided a $150,000 flood assistance package to help recovery, including Taskforce Green assistance and New Start programmes.

Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton said last month the Government would pay up to $25,000 as its share of a feasibility study on the establishment of flood protection measures in Tolaga Bay.

Gisborne District Council flood recovery manager John Clarke said the flooding of the past three days had put pressure on newly-planted crops, caused widespread surface flooding and saturated the ground. High winds added to the problems.

"If the Labour weekend flood event left a hole in the region's economy, the rain over the past four days has widened that hole into a drop-out," Mr Clarke said.

"A lot of the crops replanted after the Labour weekend flooding will have suffered further damage. And the window of opportunity for replanting will be lost completely this time."

Mr Clarke said the flood recovery team would put its case to the Government again, as Mr Anderton had said the Government wanted to hear if circumstances changed.

"Our view is that circumstances have definitely changed. This time around I will want assurances from Government that any request for assistance will be viewed positively," he said.

"This time, it is not just the severe financial impact of the flooding. The mental effect on landowners and growers can't be under-estimated. For that reason it's important we get some clear direction sooner rather than later."

Mr Anderton was not immediately available for comment.

- NZPA