Having spent the time in devastated communities in Ngāti Kahungungu and Te Tairāwhiti over the past few weeks post-Cyclone Gabrielle, I have taken the time to reflect on the lack of action and preparedness on climate change from this Government.
I’ve said it before and will say it again, central and local government must accept their own failures in not properly investing in infrastructure and not grappling with the reality of climate adaptation.
This is their responsibility. As it is to ensure there is an equitable and just process for climate adaptation.
In 2020, we released a climate policy calling on the Crown to work with all whānau, hapū and iwi to establish climate change adaptation plans and a Māori adaptation fund.
That policy predicted the effects that climate change would have on our isolated and at-risk communities, such as Wairoa. That those most vulnerable such as our elderly, disabled and socioeconomically challenged would need to be supported. That small to medium-sized businesses were all helped to adjust.
Te Pāti Māori was the only party heading into the 2020 election with that foresight and vision. We were the only ones urging the Government to prepare for the effects of climate change through policy. At that time, most people didn’t see the urgency. Adaptation planning required those with the vision to front-foot, not to backpedal after the event.
Instead, we now see the Government and its ministers running around dropping dollars like a lolly scramble on devastated communities, whānau and businesses — again after the fact, and not targeted to where it’s needed.
It is heartbreaking listening to the stories of people, marae and communities having to live in fear and uncertainty, knowing that some of this trauma was avoidable.
Cyclone Gabrielle devastated Gisborne, with State Highway 35 near Mangatuna being completely cut off due to a bridge being washed away. Photo / George Heard
There are now two things that urgently need to be implemented, including a review of the regions and their climate-vulnerable communities such as Wairoa and investment into urgent mitigation — like implementing climate adaptation plans.
Why Minister for Climate Change James Shaw hasn’t led this is a clear sign of complete incompetence. Instead, he’s been marching alongside climate activists to Parliament and his very office. It doesn’t sit right; he’s protesting against himself — he is in Government.
Perhaps he’s forgotten he’s the minister responsible, while the Government continues to allow the granting of permits to drill, block offers on petroleum gas exploration permits and offshore seabed mining.
The Labour-Greens’ climate scorecard is poor, and due to their failure to act, we are absolutely in for it if we are to be lumped with a National-Act government in October.
We have been warned of the changing mauri of our taiao for decades. Our maramataka has seen drastic changes over the years. However, perhaps only now will we be eager to do something about it, after watching our largest city Tāmaki Mākaurau take a hit.
Auckland’s climate change is also a social issue. As we have seen, it has added to the intergenerational inequities, and we risk not responding to it.
The challenge is to understand the extreme weather events and their holistic impact on poorer and struggling communities. The communities and whānau (by whānau, I mean all families) without the capacity to pay for insurance - the families with three jobs to make ends meet.
As with the Crown Minerals Act, we should not be modernising an outdated Act, but rather transitioning away from it completely. Squeezing the last of the toothpaste out of the same old tube isn’t going to save decay.
Surely this would send a message of clear commitment against climate change and the overall anti-transition agendas? We must be bold, ambitious and act with urgency, and lay out a plan to play our part in the global effort to prevent the worst impacts of the climate crisis.
It has been hugely disappointing to see the Prime Minister back away from investment in cycleways, walkways and public transport at a time when we should be investing more, not less.
I challenge Chris Hipkins to empower a whole-of-Government response to climate change. To do what’s right and what’s needed, not what is politically convenient.
And I challenge James Shaw to work with all parties on climate adaption, not just with the National Party. To take some responsibility for where we now find ourselves. We have seen since 2017 his work with National has weakened our response to climate change, at a time when we should have been our strongest.
Short-term political games must not win again over the longer-term political, economic and environmental benefits of planning and preparedness.
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer is a New Zealand politician, iwi leader and activist. She is a Member of Parliament and co-leader of Te Pāti Māori alongside Rawiri Waititi.
