Editorial: We all pay for extreme climate - Auckland flooding an unwelcome sequel

EDITORIAL

Yesterday’s torrential rains and floods in northern regions were an unwelcome sequel to those who were inundated on Auckland and Northland Anniversary weekend and in Cyclone Gabrielle.

If ill fortune comes in threes, then we can only hope this is the worst of the weather for 2023, but we know there can be no guarantees.

A complex trough and series of associated fronts over the country yesterday and today will be followed by a strong cold south-to-southwest change, so temperatures are predicted to plunge after the drenching. The chill had already been felt earlier in the week by those whose houses and businesses were hard hit by January and February weather events. In a statement on Monday titled: “Mayor opts for storm resilience rather than retreat”, Wayne Brown said any use of limited public funds “needs to be prudent and consistent with public benefit”.

“Our current position is that Auckland Council is not a guarantor of private property interests, and we are generally not responsible for compensating property owners in case of loss due to a severe weather event or natural disaster,” Brown stated.

Of course, councils need to be “prudent” with the monies entrusted to them by ratepayers. But these are people involved; our people.

Some concession had earlier been hinted at when Brown commented in the hours after the Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods that some homes should not have been built where they are. That statement may have suggested some responsibility rested with Auckland Council as the inheritor of the legacy councils, which merged in November 2010.

Auckland Council now, however, blames lessons of the past being “forgotten”, central government mandates changing local building and planning rules adversely, or the council’s position being “overruled, often in the Environment Court”.

There are efforts to assist via an Auckland Council Emergency Relief Fund to provide rates relief and an Auckland Together Fund to help communities recover and rebuild.

The mayor has previously sought to withdraw the city from unified activity, such as Local Government New Zealand, and he admonished those in the capital when criticised about his and his officers’ response to the floods by saying: “It’ll be interesting to see how Wellington is when the earthquake strikes”.

Interestingly, Brown now talks about “a complex national response” as part of the council’s commitment to supporting those hardest hit by the Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle.

If homeowners were warned their properties were exposed to potential inundation or landslip, such as via notes on property files or LIM reports, then the onus rests more clearly with the owner. Properties without evidence of such caveats, however, may have grounds to challenge for compensation.

Not all impacts from extreme weather events are the responsibility of local territorial bodies but councils are warranted to control the built environment for the good of all its population. No, councils are not responsible for the weather but when the obligation to plan for such events falls short, then some recognition of that surely must result.