Kerekere supports calls for prompt action after report

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Newly-independent MP Dr Elizabeth Kerekere has welcomed the report of the Ministerial Inquiry into Land use .

“The advocacy and research of groups such as Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti led to this Ministerial Inquiry.

“I am proud to see the report acknowledge innovative local solutions like Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou’s E Tipu, E Rea – Ngati Porou Food & Fibre Hub. Mātauranga Māori remains central to Aotearoa’s ability to build resilience and strength through the impacts of climate change.”

“The report is clear. We have 10 years to act on climate change.

“We must adapt to the impacts we are already seeing, to restore our ecosystems, and build resilience in our infrastructure and in our communities.

“Tairāwhiti and Wairoa suffer more than most from extreme weather events.

“Whānau, hapū, iwi and locals across our rohe must be part of the solution.”

“As highlighted by the Environmental Defence Society, the report finds that our existing regulations for plantation forestry are not sufficient to prevent the negative impacts on the community.

“It is the Government’s urgent responsibility to address these regulatory settings,” said the Ikaroa-Rawhiti-based MP.

“I support the call for a Woody Debris Taskforce to lead the planning and delivery for current and future clean-up activities.

“Local hapū and iwi must be represented as we move forward to restore our awa and whenua.

“This cannot be left to councils or the forestry sector that put us in this position in the first place.”

“As a Tairāwhiti local, I call on the Government to provide funding for the flood-capacity assessment identified in the report, especially for smaller councils such as the Tairāwhiti.

“This is a vital step in ensuring this place is safe for those of us who whakapapa and live here.”