“We know that to be successful, Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay’s recovery needs to be regionally led and locally responsive. It also needs a strong and simple architecture and regional leadership to enable the brave decision-making that will be required, at pace, to give our communities the confidence they need that support is on the way.”
The group say the Government has moved quickly to establish the Extreme Weather Recovery Committee framework and appoint regional ministerial leads to co-ordinate central Government’s response to the devastating effects of Cyclone Gabrielle.
Walker says Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay leaders have written to Cyclone Recovery Minister Grant Robertson today, heartened that central Government is moving at pace.
“We acknowledge the appointment of a task force led by Sir Brian Roche to feed into and report back to the committee and, as a starting point, immediate funding support for businesses to begin the process of recovery and to restore connectivity between communities.
“We know there is a huge task ahead of us, and we look forward to uniting on the hard mahi as we work to rebuild a stronger Hawke’s Bay.”
Leon Symes, chairman of Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa and co-chair of Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay Matariki Governance Group, says local government and iwi leaders are united.
“We are committed to working together on rebuilding a stronger Hawke’s Bay - mā tatou ki te takiwā o Kahungunu. One where everyone, everywhere shares in the prosperity we know we can achieve. One where every household and every whānau are able to thrive, our industries and businesses again flourish, and where we are more responsive to climate change.”
The group says Hawke’s Bay already has the regional foundations to rebuild back stronger, including:
- Strong relationships
- A proven history of working together
- Strong communities of common interest like business and industry, and of place.
Symes says rebuilding a stronger Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay will require partnership, funding and legislative support, as well as enablement by both central, regional and local government agencies working alongside iwi partners.
“Regional leadership, based around our economic and social inclusion strategy - Matariki - will be our platform for our values and vision.
“This brings local government, iwi and business together and is the home of our brand-new Regional Economic Development Agency led by a regionally appointed board, with Alasdair MacLeod as chair.
“The establishment of [the agency] at this time provides a unique opportunity for regional recovery.
“Despite the pace at which we are working on response in our region and communities, we have quickly turned our minds to long-term recovery issues and how we can organise leadership for the regional recovery in a simple and practical way.
“We have big issues, big aspirations and vision that we will all need to work on with urgency and clarity. Our leaders look forward to working with Cyclone Recovery Minister Grant Robertson and Minister Stuart Nash, our regional ministerial lead, and relevant agencies, sharing our vision for Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay and our strategy for how we build back a stronger, more equitable, resilient and thriving region,” he says.
