Aerial photography of the damage on roads at Ruakituri in the Wairoa District following the heavy rain that lasted over a week. Photo / Wairoa District Council staff
Aerial photography of the damage on roads at Ruakituri in the Wairoa District following the heavy rain that lasted over a week. Photo / Wairoa District Council staff
SUP050422wairoacrop_4.JPG Aerial photography of the damage on roads at Ruakituri in the Wairoa District following the heavy rain that lasted over a week. Photo / Wairoa District Council staff
SUP050422wairoacrop_1.JPG Hawke's Bay Regional Council Chair Rick Barker said the councils' plan was to share resources and tools with joint management across the recovery. Photo / Wairoa District Council staff
Tairāwhiti and Wairoa's recovery from more than a week of heavy rain will be shared through the collaborative efforts of their councils.
Hawke's Bay Regional Council chair Rick Barker said community leaders from Gisborne District Council, Wairoa District Council and Hawke's Bay Regional council have committed to work closely together.
"Our plan is to share resources and tools with joint management and co-ordination across the recovery, and each council's recovery managers leading the efforts in their respective districts," Barker said.
"The recovery will require a co-ordinated approach from councils and government agencies, supported by rural networks."
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said that understanding the full extent of recovery needs continues to be difficult as road access and aerial assessment have been impeded by the ongoing weather conditions.
"But I'm still very encouraged by the work that is already underway, not only by councils and government agencies but also the rural networks. Things are in motion," Little said.
He said the Hawke's Bay Rural Advisory Group have been working with the Gisborne Rural Connectivity Group to help assist farmers in the recovery process, and East Coast Federated Farmers were organising a survey of farmers to establish needs assessments.
Little said regional leaders were also working with regional government agency representatives to look at providing Enhanced Taskforce Green for both Wairoa and Tairāwhiti.
"We are tough, resilient people in this part of the country, but we are also supportive, community-minded people. Working together, supporting each other as we get through this is just the natural thing to do," Little said.
Hawke's Bay Regional Council Chair Rick Barker said the councils' plan was to share resources and tools with joint management across the recovery. Photo / Wairoa District Council staff
Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz said the scale of the recovery meant it made sense to take a joined-up approach with other councils.
"This has been an incredibly tough time for many across Tairāwhiti. We know the recovery will be a big job and this will be a long process," Stoltz said.
"Our collective top priority is to help our communities recover and rebuild - and boost the resilience of our districts from future flood events. The best way to achieve that is to work together with our neighbouring councils."
She said it was early days, but meetings between councils, civil defence staff, rural networks and central government agencies had already begun.
People in the Wairoa and Tairāwhiti districts affected by the recent heavy rain may be eligible for a Civil Defence Payment from Work and Income New Zealand.
According to Work and Income New Zealand, you are eligible if you are in one of the following situations:
- You had to leave your home (eg, you've been evacuated or you're on standby)
- You were away from your home at the time of the emergency and can't return
