Monday, 23 May 2005

Baldock calls on Govt to match flood relief donations

United Future Tauranga MP Larry Baldock today called on the Government to match public donations for the victims of the horrendous flooding that has hit the Bay of Plenty in recent days.

Mr Baldock said that he had no doubt that New Zealanders' history of generosity towards those hit by disaster would again come to the fore, and that the Government should match any donations dollar-for-dollar, on top of any other aid that needed to be rendered.

The Government responded positively to previous United Future dollar-for-dollar contributions to flooding events last year, including in the Bay of Plenty, and as a nation we needed to dig deep again, he said.

On Friday, Mr Baldock called for the Government to fully support local government on-the-spot efforts to aid those hit by the floods, saying the devastation was being dealt with very well at a local level.

Mr Baldock has visited the worst areas and attended the Tauranga public meeting last night.

ENDS

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