Government to help flood victims, Clark visits Manawatu and Rangitikei

1.45pm

The Government today announced a package of measures to help those caught in this week's flooding but could not put a figure on what it would cost.

A spokeswoman for Prime Minister Helen Clark, who is visiting flood-stricken Manawatu and Rangitikei today, said the Government was still assessing the costs and was following the precedent set by Cyclone Bola in 1988, which caused $52 million in damage.

A spokeswoman for Civil Defence Minister George Hawkins told NZPA the taxpayer chequebook "could be" open-ended.

Mr Hawkins said the package included dispatching Taskforce Green workers to help with the clean-up, as well as advice to farmers.

Government agencies -- including the Ministry of Health, Work and Income, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), Housing New Zealand and the Ministry of Maori Affairs (Te Puni Kokiri) -- would co-ordinate their activities with Civil Defence and Emergency Management groups in problem areas.

MAF would appoint up to six agricultural co-ordinators, and would offer advice to farmers.

MAF would assess the extent of problems in rural areas and what resources would be needed for a rural recovery.

The ministry would also provide special needs grants and counselling for farmers and their families if required.

Mr Hawkins said Taskforce Green workers had been used successfully many times over the past decade to help with the clean-up after civil defence emergencies, as well as help restore public assets and external farm fences.

He said costs councils incurred in dealing with displaced people were fully reimbursed when a civil defence declaration had been made.

Transfund would pay 100 per cent of the cost of repairing bridges and roads that were part of the state highway network, and up to 85 per cent for local roads and bridges.

The Government would reimburse councils for up to 60 per cent of the cost of repairing essential infrastructure, above a threshold based on a district's capital value.

"Certain response costs, other than caring for displaced people, will be treated as for essential infrastructure," Mr Hawkins said.

In Feilding a district mayoral relief fund has been set up to help residents seriously affected by the flooding.

District Mayor Ian McKelvie said up to half the district's 27,500 population had been seriously affected: "Many members of our community may need some sort of assistance."

The Government has promised $20,000 to kickstart the fund and Mr McKelvie hoped to attract up to $70,000 business sponsorship, initially.

The Government yesterday came in for criticism from National MP Simon Power who described $20,000 grants to the Rangitikei and Manawatu mayoral relief funds as "pathetic".

The Rangitikei MP's criticism came as the Insurance Council estimated the storm in the lower North Island had caused $100 million in damage.

"The Government contributed $5 million to assist Niueans after Cyclone Heta, yet it can't get $50,000 together for the people of the Rangitikei and Manawatu," Mr Power said.

Mr Hawkins said the Government assisted in many other ways, such as repairing roads and other infrastructure, and a "whole of government response" was being taken to assist farmers.

He told reporters yesterday that the Government would "come to the party" in paying to repair damage caused by the massive storm.

The state of emergency across the whole Manawatu-Wanganui region could stay in place for up to a week as local officials struggle to clean up flood damage and brace themselves for more bad weather forecast for later this week.

- NZPA