The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council welcomes the Government’s announcement today of a billion dollar cyclone funding recovery package, including investment in flood protection measures.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Cyclone Recovery Minister Grant Robertson made the announcement this morning at the side of the Taradale stopbank, along with ministerial colleagues and Regional Council Chair Hinewai Ormsby.

The location is significant as the Taradale stopbank was upgraded to a 1-in-500 year level of flood protection before the cyclone, co-funded by Government and the Regional Council, and saved the Taradale community from catastrophic flooding.

Regional Council Chair Hinewai Ormsby says the funding package is critical for the region to get back on its feet, and will be a huge boost to cyclone recovery efforts.

“This funding is a start to support the region’s resilience to major climate events. As well as critical infrastructure investment, there is funding for welfare, and this is incredibly important for those people impacted by the cyclone."

As part of the package, the Government is investing $100 million in co-investment with local authorities to support proactive management of climate-exacerbated flood risk.

“We welcome the flood protection funding. We are undertaking a major review of our flood schemes to gather learnings about where improvements can be made to safeguard our communities. We will take these learnings and reconfigure our flood schemes, using the Hawke’s Bay part of this funding, so they behave in a known way in big climate events.”

“What it does give us is an opportunity to build in a level of resilience which will provide us with more confidence into the future.”

“Cyclone Gabrielle showed us that there are many systems that the Hawke’s Bay communities rely on for emergency response and protection. We are focused on building long-term flood protection measures, that go to where they are most needed.”

“Our recovery will not be a sprint, but together we can do it, one step at a time. We look forward to further funding announcements beyond this first year of co-investment” she said.

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