Editorial: Some clarity after the chaos of Auckland’s floods

Close to the edge: Slips in the Stanley Point area after the Auckland floods. Photo / Michael Craig

EDITORIAL:

Flowers and plants are at their freshest and brightest after the rain, making them stand out more than normal.

In the same way, while Auckland’s floods have caused grief and costly damage, they have also given people a brief period of extra clarity about their city.

Given New Zealand’s tendency to grasp short-term and politically convenient solutions over long-term ones, any light shone on multiple issues now is worth bottling.

The floods have brought a lot of questions to the surface, from emergency preparedness and leadership to housing needs, the stability of some suburbs and the vulnerability of others, and how historic decisions flow into the future.

Regardless of how well officials, services, workers and volunteers performed their jobs once the main damage was done, actions taken or not taken on Friday, January 27 remain the most crucial to consider - with an eye to future disasters. With early warnings and decisive leadership, residents could have helped themselves and each other more.

The reported failures of decision-making and communication were so widespread, an overhaul of disaster plans seems needed, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown acknowledged shortcomings in a belated apology.

How January 27 unfolded suggests the city is overly dependent on the person at the centre being able to: anticipate and think ahead; be active rather than passive; push people for answers and action; make calls on a developing situation, and reassure people caught in a crisis that they will get help.

That requires experience, energy and empathy from a person who can lead from the front rather than from behind.

Even if that person is a good fit for the job, there need to be other competent people in official positions who can make good decisions. Perhaps the revival of the post of Minister for Auckland offers hope there will be more urgency in the next emergency.

The more visible, methodic efforts by officials in recent days have almost been frustrating after the failures of the first day.

Auckland Emergency Management’s sending of two storm alerts to phones last week was a positive move that can’t just be forgotten about. If there’s a high likelihood of particularly damaging storms and tornadoes, alerts should be used again.

It’s an effective form of communication because most people have a phone. People are often too busy to chase information, and rare official guidance carries more weight than general weather advice.

A blaring alert telling people to take care on the roads and to get to shelter on higher ground before the worst of the storm struck during the early evening of the 27th would surely have helped people.

There were also historical, social, and geographical reasons why some suburbs emerged relatively unscathed and others didn’t.

High-density housing options need to be available in more resilient places on higher ground. People would need assistance to move.

Photos of millionaire rows too close to the edge underline the unstoppable march of erosion.

Insurance companies are clear that houses in flood-prone areas of the country are becoming uninsurable. People need to take care in considering where they build, buy or rent.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said: “Look, we’ve got some tough calls to make as a country, including looking at things like - where have we built houses? Are there particular communities that are going to be more vulnerable? Do we need to do more in those areas?”

Auckland’s problems are so complex, a bipartisan effort is really needed to have a chance of being effective.