Communities across the country look back on the biggest storm to hit New Zealand this century.
Video / Corey Fleming / Zoe McIntosh / Getty Images
Eight Central Hawke’s Bay jobseekers, along with two skilled supervisors, are helping farmers clean up after the devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle a year ago.
The group has been employed through the Enhanced Taskforce Green national initiative, funded by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and a local collaboration between Mauri Oho, Rural Support Trust and Jobs in Central Hawke’s Bay.
The programme has been running for nine weeks and has already helped 13 farmers and landowners from Otāne to Pōrangahau and back to the ranges into Wakarara.
The team undertakes cleanup and repairs at each property, depending on the damage, at no cost to the farmer. This includes fencing, maintenance repairs, silt cleanup and the removal of trees.
Willie Wilder, a sheep and beef farmer in Wallingford, who suffered multiple slips, lost 4.5 kilometres of fencing and faced severely compromised access, has been helped with fencing.
Front row (left to right): Daz Hingston and Paris Poihipi O’Donnell. Back row (left to right): Raniera Hauiti, Robyn Leake (MSD), Mayor Alex Walker, Jonathan Bell (RST) and Willie Wilder (farm owner).
“It’s been a tough road and there’s still a lot to do,” he says. “The support from the Mauri Oho crew over the past few days has been unreal.”
The programme also involves developing transferable skills for the workers, such as fencing and chainsaw work. It has just received another 12 weeks of MSD funding.
Mauri Oho, an environmental services trust, is managing the project, working closely with the Rural Support Trust and the Central Hawke’s Bay District Council’s cyclone team to help identify farmers they can help.
One of the Mauri Oho team, Daz Hingston, says he enjoys being outdoors and getting back onto the land after previously working indoors.
”It’s awesome to come together as a group, to help farmers and give them a bit of support. We’re really getting into it and happy we can help for longer now.”
Central Hawker’s Bay Mayor Alex Walker says so much of the pain suffered by farmers has been in isolation, away from the public eye and underestimated by many.
“Many visitors and agencies haven’t ventured much further than SH2 or even the Napier airport. They haven’t seen the extent of damage and stress that Cyclone Gabrielle has put on farms, farmers, their businesses and their families.
“The teamwork of the Rural Support Trust, MSD, Mauri Oho and Jobs in CHB is providing an important confidence boost for our farmers.
“Teamwork is the key to our progress, quietly, sensitively and just getting on with the mahi and giving a small boost to our farmers, and the work crews are getting to spread their manaakitanga as well as learning new skills and bringing an income to their own families. Win, win.”
If you are a farmer, a grower or have community assets in Central Hawke’s Bay and would like help, contact East Coast Rural Support Trust on 021 990 699 (Rosa Wyn-Harris) or 027 310 9725 (Nikki Henderson) or the council’s recovery team on (06) 857 8060.
