Uncertainty remains over Wairoa rebuild

Cyclone Gabrielle. Wairoa

by Ryan O'Sullivan

One year after Cyclone Gabrielle devastated Wairoa, questions remain over the full impact it has had on the township.

A Wairoa District Council finance, assurance and risk committee meeting last week discussed an update on its recovery plan.

“We are a year in (to the recovery) and are still unsure about what our community needs in terms of a rebuild,” councillor Melissa Kaimoana said.

“There are questions around targeted work for the insured versus uninsured homes. We know that there is a gap but we cannot quantify it.”

Deputy chair and councillor Jeremy Harker led the meeting with chair Phillip Jones in attendance via Zoom.

Mr Harker said the committee wanted to know how many houses were impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle and how many were impacted by rain events post-cyclone.

“We need to know how many of those homes are insured and not insured during each event and how many people are back in homes.”

In his report to the council, recovery support Steve Baker said there were homes being lived in by whānau who were not the legal owners.

“One home has over 40 owners so permission is needed from at least 50 percent of the owners before any work can begin.”

Deputy Mayor Denise Eaglesome-Karekare said the work could be sorted out simply with a conversation.

Mr Harker said the report needed to ask why permission was required from 50 percent of the owners.

Councillor Benita Cairns asked what was stopping work being started on homes.

“What are the barriers preventing whānau from getting back in homes?

“Why is permission needed from 50 percent of owners?”

She felt the situation was clearly talking about homes on Māori land.

“It is not often the land has one owner. However, that does not have bearing on the home in terms of the repairs it requires.”

Mrs Kaimoana asked if that intel was from the council or a partner organisation.

The information was filled in by the recovery manager, Mr Baker said.

“The information on insurance was what we got back from the insurance council.

“They advised that there have been 217 claims but could not pass on more information for privacy reasons — that is excluding commercial properties.

“Of the 360 odd houses with placards, about 160 did not have insurance.”

There was an issue with the assessment status on placards removed, Ms Cairns said.

“I cannot work out how we get the numbers that we have. Should a column be added about the movement of houses?”

The report for residential properties as of February 2 shows 165 white properties, 110 yellow, three red and 80 placards removed, equalling 358 properties.

On April 17, 2023, it showed 229 properties that were stickered.

“The 80 placards removed does not add up for the shift of red to yellow and yellow to white.”

Mr Baker said it could be because of post-cyclone weather events.