The announcement today from the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) to extend the deadline for spending funds for silt and debris collection and disposal in Wairoa has been warmly welcomed by the area’s leaders.

The DIA announced today that the remaining $6 million in silt and debris funding that has been unable to be used to date in Wairoa would now be available until 30 June 2025.

The Funding Agreement between DIA and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) for Extreme Weather Event Recovery Activities included funds for the removal and disposal of silt and debris had an end date of 31 December 2024.

Wairoa District Council (WDC) Mayor Craig Little expressed his deep appreciation for the extension, calling it a positive development for Wairoa.

“This is a much-welcomed announcement for the people of Wairoa who are in need of some good news this side of Christmas. This extension gives us the much-needed time to finish the recovery work from both the cyclone and the June 2025 flooding events.

“As a small town that’s been on the front line of these extreme weather events, we’ve been stretched thin trying to get everything done before the previous deadline. Today’s announcement acknowledges the immense challenges we’ve faced, and we’re genuinely grateful to the Ministers for understanding our situation,” said Mayor Little.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBR Chair Hinewai Ormsby also welcomed the news, highlighting how crucial it is for regions like Wairoa that have been battered by multiple severe weather events.

“This extension is significant because it truly recognises the unique and ongoing challenges our community has endured.

“Wairoa has faced two devastating weather events in just two years, and without a doubt, a less-resilient community might have faltered. Instead, we’re seeing Wairoa rise to the challenge, putting in the hard mahi on the recovery front. This decision not only honours the recovery efforts already underway but also shows recognition for the work still to come,” she said.

In a letter to DIA earlier this year, Mayor Little and HBRC Chief Executive Nic Peet explained the challenges for Wairoa to complete the clean-up work including the town’s isolation, a fragile roading network into town with constant road closures and delays, back-to-back flood events, limited resources, and limited qualified tradespeople to draw on.

They also noted the cyclone and debris worsened the landfill’s capacity in Wairoa. WDC is now considering options to transport landfill waste to the Omarunui landfill near Hastings while searching for a new solution.

The letter requested extensions for:

$2.697 million to allow for clearing of silt and debris activities from the flood, repairs of existing landfill facilities and addressing remobilised woody debris.

$3.5 million to allow WDC to access funding to enable the short-term transfer of waste to the Omarunui landfill near Hastings, and to undertake necessarily analysis and scoping of costs to implement a long-term waste solution for the Wairoa District.

The Silt Taskforce (a collaboration between HBRC and Hastings District Council) has had a key role across all districts in Hawke’s Bay to support woody debris clean up and will continue to support the work in Wairoa.

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