The Puketapu Bridge, four months after Cyclone Gabrielle, was one of those destroyed in the Hastings District. The new Moteo-Puketapu Bridge opened in August.
It’s possible that Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s first election since Cyclone Gabrielle will be defined by both flood and fallout.
Those on the council when the 2023 cyclone hit now have the rare experience of leading their communities through a once-in-a-lifetime Civil Defence emergency.
But those pushing for a spot at the table also have plenty of holes to pick in the response and subsequent recovery efforts.
Eight people died in Hawke’s Bay as major rivers burst their banks and marched through homes and infrastructure around the region.
There were several inquiries into the response to the February 14 cyclone, including an Independent Review, which included 47 recommendations.
Former chair Rex Graham said he felt HBRC largely did a good job during the disaster and had made a lot of progress since.
But he said if the regional council had learnt anything, it was that the community was best situated to deal with Civil Defence disasters.
“Our isolated rural communities and especially our marae really stood up. They have the infrastructure and culture, it would be sensible to ensure they are properly resourced.”
He said it was easy for those outside the tent to comment in hindsight.
One thing he worried about was the lack of a conversation in the aftermath about investing in climate change resilience.
“It’s a hard conversation, and I’m not sure we have had it yet.”
Hawke’s Bay Today asked all HBRC candidates how they thought it handled the cyclone and its aftermath, and was there anything they would have done differently.
HBRC chairwoman Hinewai Ormsby, who is standing again this time in the Ahuriri-Napier constituency, says the council was pushed to its limit after the cyclone.
“But we stood strong, fronted together, and delivered.
“The council was right in the thick of the response. The mahi was relentless. We were tested and questioned.
“Now we have a $260 million forward work programme of flood defence to build in some of the most vulnerable areas.”
Ormsby, who lost her own home in the cyclone, says recovery on such a large scale requires government backing and strong relationships.
“The reviews showed the council can’t afford the recovery to be under-resourced or delayed.
“As the first Māori and youngest chair of the council, I entered this role in the most challenging term imaginable.
“The floods toughened me and thousands of others, they gave me the thickest skin I’ve ever grown and taught me lessons no textbook could.”
Paul Bailey said the HB Emergency Response team was overwhelmed.
“In the weeks after, HBRC worked through the correct priorities methodically. If I were to do anything differently, I’d ensure all those who were, say, yellow-stickered, were kept in the loop, something I had first-hand experience of not happening.”
Hayley Browne said she was proud of how staff, councillors and community heroes stepped up.
“We know there were systemic failures. I’m committed to implementing the review’s recommendations so our community is more supported and decisions are faster next time.”
Neil Kirton said he thought the flood protection preparedness and flood warning systems fell well short.
“Hundreds of millions have to be spent on spillways, raising bridges, better river channel maintenance and nature-based solutions. Flood warning systems must work in all conditions.”
Louise Parsons said HBRC mishandled the cyclone before, during, and after.
“I’d have hired a CEO with leadership skills and assessed every property as promised, not used a blanket map, which has ruined people’s lives and livelihoods.
“I’d have adopted the methodology Auckland used with the category process as it gave people choices and would have saved ratepayers millions.”
Syed Khurram Iqbal did not respond
Marcus Ormond described the council’s ability to handle the cyclone as woeful.
“Flood protection for the Heretaunga plains and Waipawa failed and Esk Valley residents were not sufficiently warned.”
“I haven’t been a councillor, so can’t say what I would have done differently.”
Jerf van Beek said HBRC did not have a Plan B.
“There are questions over the state of the flood protection systems, including channel maintenance. The rapid rebuild was well executed due to an interim CE skilled in disaster management.
“The category system has been difficult. We have financially disadvantaged landowners. The council should have been more empathetic. We promised we ‘would leave no one behind’. We should have kept our word.”
Kiri Hamlin said the response was inadequate.
“I know no one had planned for a tsunami from the hills. The recovery is hampered not by lack of performance, but red tape. Some decisions lacked humanity for communities that lost everything a second time through red zoning.
“I would have requested or demanded the use of the NZ Defence Force for its logistical management response.”
Di Roadley said there was plenty to be proud of. “The council managed the overwhelming quantities of silt and debris, immediately repaired stopbanks, negotiated with the Crown to help pay for the clean-up, developed flood protection infrastructure, and worked with traumatised communities.
“There is always room for improvement. The council worked through the recommendations from numerous reports, seeking best practice and outcomes for our communities, within an ever-tightening financial climate.”
Tim Aitken said as a CHB councillor, significantly involved in the response, he had suggestions on how HBRC could have responded better.
“I choose not to, as it is easy to criticise after the event. I hope the lessons were learnt.”
Tony Kuklinski said the council was poorly prepared. “It hadn’t maintained the stopbanks or removed enough shingle from CHB rivers.”
He said he would have taken more gravel from rivers and improved stopbank maintenance.
Keri Ropiha said HBRC handled things to the best of its ability, given constraints from a capability and capacity view.
“The common denominator was inadequate Civil Defence systems and response mechanisms to inform and warn communities.
“The community begged councils not to shut down its Civil Defence at 7pm the night of the cyclone. By the time they were back the following morning, our town was already underwater. They should have pulled an all-nighter on alert.”
Bruce Mackay thinks HBRC could have done better.
“Effective monitoring and response to the signals (rising river levels, especially headwaters, monitors going offline, interrupted power supplies) was not evident, and the messages being conveyed were not addressed with any apparent effective leadership.”
Jock Mackintosh said Gabrielle was much worse than the weather forecasts predicted, creating extraordinarily difficult circumstances. HBRC responded as best it could, especially in re-establishing flood protection.
He said communications could have been better.
“We could have been more proactive and reactive. There was unhelpful and inaccurate finger-pointing, which helped no one.”
Sophie Siers said HBRC worked tirelessly, repairing stopbanks and doing everything possible while under enormous pressure.
“Would I have done things differently? Absolutely.
“Disasters are chaotic by nature – they bring distress, force split-second decisions, and leave little time for careful planning. I would prepare better by making sure the 47 recommendations of the Independent Flood Review are implemented.”
Conrad Waitoa said independent reviews found gaps in flood planning, communication, and coordination with emergency services.
“I would have focused on timely and well-informed decisions, an earlier partnership with mana whenua and emergency services, and planning to a one-in-500-year flood standard to reduce the risk of catastrophic failure.”
Michelle McIlroy thought Civil Defence was ill-prepared, and Māori communities bore disproportionate impacts.
“Survivability depends on resilient warning systems and stronger climate and community resilience. I would have localised and resourced Civil Defence, including tangata whenua, and strengthened marae-based community resilience.”
Shelton White said in hindsight, HBRC did what it could, given the significant damage.
He said because of the restrictions, he probably wouldn’t have done anything differently.
“However, there is a need to be more resilient in the future.”
Thompson Hokianga did not respond.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.