Cyclone Gabrielle, Auckland floods: It’s time to recalculate our vulnerability to floods - Suncorp NZ insurance boss Jimmy Higgins

OPINION

The Auckland Anniversary weekend floods reminded me why I still work in insurance.

I continue to be incredibly proud of the response by Suncorp and Vero but, as I write this article and as we cope with the additional impact of ex-cyclone Gabrielle, I’m becoming increasingly worried at how unprepared we are for the next major weather event, and what this means for generations to come.

The events currently unfolding are reminiscent of the significant events in Queensland in 2011, where the Brisbane River flooded and some weeks later, north Queensland got hit by category 5 Cyclone Yasi.

That same month, Christchurch experienced the second of two major earthquakes, a time that we will forever remember.

I’m privileged to have led the recovery of these events for Suncorp and use this experience to support our current response.

Back then, as we are now, we swiftly mobilised and put all our efforts into supporting customers.

In the past couple of weeks, we’ve doubled our claim resources, and called on our Trans-Tasman Suncorp colleagues to provide additional horsepower. We’re securing builders and trades, forward ordering building materials, and identifying our most vulnerable customers to make sure they are okay and have somewhere to live as we begin the recovery process.

The debris left from what was a Karekare home, destroyed in Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Supplied

We will be there when it matters most, because that is what we do. But the question I keep asking myself is, what have we learnt?

And more importantly, what are we doing about it? Our company purpose is to protect what matters, and that’s not just about protecting against losses that may occur.

It’s also about protecting the future because that is what matters to the next generation.

As we understand more about the growing impacts of climate change, so too do we need to understand how we better prepare ourselves to live in environments and communities while knowing insurance protection is both affordable and accessible.

The widespread flooding, and subsequent damage in Auckland, was predominantly caused by poor infrastructure. Unable to cope with the volume of rain that fell, the design capacity of the stormwater infrastructure was overcome.

First and foremost, we need to understand how the current infrastructure and the future built environment will impact the likelihood of future flooding in certain areas. The growing built environment around water catchment areas is also likely to have contributed to flooding in certain areas.

Jimmy Higgins. Photo / Supplied

When consenting these developments, we need to know what considerations are being made to the broader catchment response, including stormwater infrastructure, impermeable surfacing and building locations.

Left unaddressed, these issues, coupled with poorly maintained drainage systems, mean the next disaster is just waiting to happen.

The recent events will cause risk models to be updated, and comparisons will be made between existing flood hazard models and actual flooding observed.

More questions will be asked about the occurrence and subsequent damage caused by severe weather events. More questions need to be asked on how to prevent this damage.

We need to take a longer-term view of how we can improve community resilience and protect what matters to New Zealanders – their home.

If we do nothing else off the back of these events, I hope we start a much-needed conversation on the longer-term vision for New Zealand and how we can better protect our communities and prevent floods like we’re experiencing right now.

I’d encourage all levels of government and private industry into this conversation, as we collectively have an interest in creating a more sustainable and economically prosperous country.

- Jimmy Higgins is the CEO of Suncorp NZ which incorporates the Vero and Asteron Life brands.