Latest news with #CycloneGabrielle
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- General
- NZ Herald
Hawke's Bay: Study reveals main cause of lepto outbreak after Gabrielle
The main cause of a leptospirosis outbreak in Hawke's Bay in the immediate aftermath of the Cyclone Gabrielle floods was urine from livestock, not rodents, a new study has found. A Massey University team carried out the study, which is being presented at a NZ Veterinary Conference in Wellington this
Scoop
3 days ago
- General
- Scoop
'No One Came': How Māori Communities Were Abandoned During Cyclone Gabrielle
Press Release – Te Whariki Manawahine o Hauraki The 95-page report 'Hauraki Mori Weathering Cyclone Gabrielle,' presented by Te Whriki Manawhine O Hauraki CEO Denise Messiter ONZM last week, was the first time the research had been made public since its completion in April. Study reveals systemic failures in emergency response while documenting remarkable community resilience Research documenting how Hauraki Māori were abandoned by authorities during Cyclone Gabrielle was presented to the Waitangi Tribunal's Climate Change Priority Inquiry last week, revealing institutional racism and systemic failure in New Zealand's disaster response. The 95-page report 'Hauraki Māori Weathering Cyclone Gabrielle,' presented by Te Whāriki Manawāhine O Hauraki CEO Denise Messiter ONZM last week, was the first time the research had been made public since its completion in April. The research, led by Director of Research at Te Whāriki Paora Moyle KSO and funded by the Health Research Council, was received with 'considerable interest' by the Tribunal panel for its documentation of lived experiences and practical solutions. 'It Began Because They Did Nothing' The study, involving 30 participants including whānau and Thames-Coromandel District Council personnel, exposes shocking failures in civil defence response. 'It began because they did nothing. I mean, seriously, absolutely nothing. We did our own emergency management planning,' one participant told researchers. Despite repeated requests for emergency equipment over several years, Māori communities received no support from local civil defence. When Cyclone Gabrielle struck, communities were cut off for up to 15 days, forcing them to establish their own emergency centres with minimal resources. Generators for the Rich, Nothing for Marae Most concerning is evidence of resource allocation disparities that the research describes as '21st century, well-tuned, well-willed institutional racism.' One participant recounted: 'Our marae needed a generator, but when we asked for one, there were none available. Yet earlier that day, we saw a helicopter fly over us with three generators for a more well-off community.' Civil defence officials even attempted to commandeer food and resources that Māori communities had sourced themselves, to redistribute to people they deemed 'more worthy.' When people living rough in tents sought help at official centres, 'the council people who were there, didn't want to have a bar of them.' Generations of Knowledge Ignored Perhaps most significant for the Climate Change Inquiry, authorities systematically ignore invaluable Māori ecological wisdom. Hauraki Māori possess deep intergenerational knowledge about weather patterns and environmental risks that could enhance climate resilience. 'We've been reading these weather patterns for generations, but no one seems to listen when we warn about potential flooding,' one whānau member said. The study found a stark disconnect between Māori ecological wisdom and regional governance, with authorities failing to integrate traditional environmental knowledge passed down through generations. Communities Step Up Where Government Failed Despite abandonment by authorities, Hauraki Māori demonstrated remarkable resilience. Communities reactivated COVID-19 networks, set up evacuation centres at local schools, and coordinated their own food distribution and emergency equipment. The successful Hauraki Relocatable Housing Project, funded by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, provided transitional accommodation for damaged homes. One emotional account describes a wāhine who had been living in a shed with no plumbing: 'She wailed. She wailed… it was like, you're at a tangi. It was, it was a real welcome home.' Constitutional Change Demanded The research calls for the constitutional transformation that Matike Mai outlined in 2016 – where Māori exercise real decision-making power over emergency management, not just consultation: Hapū and Iwi Emergency Response Assemblies that actually make decisions for their people Marae recognised as critical emergency infrastructure, not afterthoughts Emergency management laws that embed Māori governance instead of excluding it An Emergency Management Tiriti Assembly where Māori and Crown work as equals, not the Crown telling Māori what to do 'We don't need to be saved by the Crown – we need the Crown to stop taking up 'look at me' space and just get out of our way,' one participant noted. Persistent Disadvantage Perpetuated The study links emergency management failures to what the Productivity Commission terms 'persistent disadvantage' affecting Māori communities. Many whānau described being 'land-rich but cash-poor' due to historical land alienation, with bureaucratic barriers in housing recovery further compounding disadvantages. Thames-Coromandel District Council participants acknowledged 'historical trauma and mistrust' affecting Māori engagement, admitting their approach was often 'process-driven and one-way instead of people-driven.' Climate Justice Implications The research exposes how climate change impacts hit hardest on communities already facing systemic disadvantages – then authorities abandon them when disaster strikes. 'We've been reading these weather patterns for generations, but no one seems to listen when we warn about potential flooding,' highlights how dismissing Māori ecological knowledge weakens the entire country's climate adaptation. The systematic exclusion of Māori from emergency management decisions, combined with the failure to protect communities most vulnerable to climate impacts, presents compelling evidence of Crown Treaty breaches in climate policy. The Waitangi Tribunal's findings could require fundamental changes to ensure Māori knowledge and communities are central to climate adaptation, not afterthoughts. As the report concludes: 'The time for action is now. Failure to act perpetuates injustice, while bold and principled transformation ensures a more substantial, safer, and just future for all.'
Scoop
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
"No One Came": How Māori Communities Were Abandoned During Cyclone Gabrielle
Study reveals systemic failures in emergency response while documenting remarkable community resilience Research documenting how Hauraki Māori were abandoned by authorities during Cyclone Gabrielle was presented to the Waitangi Tribunal's Climate Change Priority Inquiry last week, revealing institutional racism and systemic failure in New Zealand's disaster response. The 95-page report "Hauraki Māori Weathering Cyclone Gabrielle," presented by Te Whāriki Manawāhine O Hauraki CEO Denise Messiter ONZM last week, was the first time the research had been made public since its completion in April. The research, led by Director of Research at Te Whāriki Paora Moyle KSO and funded by the Health Research Council, was received with "considerable interest" by the Tribunal panel for its documentation of lived experiences and practical solutions. "It Began Because They Did Nothing" The study, involving 30 participants including whānau and Thames-Coromandel District Council personnel, exposes shocking failures in civil defence response. "It began because they did nothing. I mean, seriously, absolutely nothing. We did our own emergency management planning," one participant told researchers. Despite repeated requests for emergency equipment over several years, Māori communities received no support from local civil defence. When Cyclone Gabrielle struck, communities were cut off for up to 15 days, forcing them to establish their own emergency centres with minimal resources. Generators for the Rich, Nothing for Marae Most concerning is evidence of resource allocation disparities that the research describes as "21st century, well-tuned, well-willed institutional racism." One participant recounted: "Our marae needed a generator, but when we asked for one, there were none available. Yet earlier that day, we saw a helicopter fly over us with three generators for a more well-off community." Civil defence officials even attempted to commandeer food and resources that Māori communities had sourced themselves, to redistribute to people they deemed "more worthy." When people living rough in tents sought help at official centres, "the council people who were there, didn't want to have a bar of them." Generations of Knowledge Ignored Perhaps most significant for the Climate Change Inquiry, authorities systematically ignore invaluable Māori ecological wisdom. Hauraki Māori possess deep intergenerational knowledge about weather patterns and environmental risks that could enhance climate resilience. "We've been reading these weather patterns for generations, but no one seems to listen when we warn about potential flooding," one whānau member said. The study found a stark disconnect between Māori ecological wisdom and regional governance, with authorities failing to integrate traditional environmental knowledge passed down through generations. Communities Step Up Where Government Failed Despite abandonment by authorities, Hauraki Māori demonstrated remarkable resilience. Communities reactivated COVID-19 networks, set up evacuation centres at local schools, and coordinated their own food distribution and emergency equipment. The successful Hauraki Relocatable Housing Project, funded by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, provided transitional accommodation for damaged homes. One emotional account describes a wāhine who had been living in a shed with no plumbing: "She wailed. She wailed... it was like, you're at a tangi. It was, it was a real welcome home." Constitutional Change Demanded The research calls for the constitutional transformation that Matike Mai outlined in 2016 - where Māori exercise real decision-making power over emergency management, not just consultation: Hapū and Iwi Emergency Response Assemblies that actually make decisions for their people Marae recognised as critical emergency infrastructure, not afterthoughts Emergency management laws that embed Māori governance instead of excluding it An Emergency Management Tiriti Assembly where Māori and Crown work as equals, not the Crown telling Māori what to do "We don't need to be saved by the Crown - we need the Crown to stop taking up 'look at me' space and just get out of our way," one participant noted. Persistent Disadvantage Perpetuated The study links emergency management failures to what the Productivity Commission terms "persistent disadvantage" affecting Māori communities. Many whānau described being "land-rich but cash-poor" due to historical land alienation, with bureaucratic barriers in housing recovery further compounding disadvantages. Thames-Coromandel District Council participants acknowledged "historical trauma and mistrust" affecting Māori engagement, admitting their approach was often "process-driven and one-way instead of people-driven." Climate Justice Implications The research exposes how climate change impacts hit hardest on communities already facing systemic disadvantages - then authorities abandon them when disaster strikes. "We've been reading these weather patterns for generations, but no one seems to listen when we warn about potential flooding," highlights how dismissing Māori ecological knowledge weakens the entire country's climate adaptation. The systematic exclusion of Māori from emergency management decisions, combined with the failure to protect communities most vulnerable to climate impacts, presents compelling evidence of Crown Treaty breaches in climate policy. The Waitangi Tribunal's findings could require fundamental changes to ensure Māori knowledge and communities are central to climate adaptation, not afterthoughts. As the report concludes: "The time for action is now. Failure to act perpetuates injustice, while bold and principled transformation ensures a more substantial, safer, and just future for all."
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Environmentalists see forestry changes as dangerous step for Tai Rāwhiti
A Gisborne beach covered in wood debris after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: Supplied / Manu Caddie Tai Rāwhiti environmentalists have called changes for commercial forestry under proposed Resource Management Act reforms "a slap in the face" and a return to weaker forestry regulations. Local groups are preparing to make submissions on proposed changes to the way forestry is managed after consultation on the Resource Management Act opened on Thursday. The proposals would make it harder for councils to have their own discretion in setting stricter rules to control tree planting. Gisborne District Council (GDC) said the proposed changes grant both "real opportunities" and "some challenges". The Eastland Wood Council (EWC) is still considering its options around submitting. Mana Taiao Tai Rāwhiti (MTT), the group behind a 12,000-signature petition that triggered the Ministerial Inquiry into Land Use (MILU) in Tai Rāwhiti and Wairoa, claimed the Government was relaxing "already permissive forestry rules". The inquiry, published in May 2023, followed the destruction caused by Cyclone Gabrielle and other major storms, when woody debris, forestry slash and sedimentation flooded the region's land, waterways and infrastructure. At the time of the inquiry's findings, the previous Government announced actions to reduce the risk of a Gabrielle repeat. MTT spokeswoman and Ruatōria resident Tui Warmenhoven said, "We were promised stronger protections - what we're getting is deregulation dressed as reform." The proposed changes were "a slap in the face to the hundreds of whānau who've already paid the price for poor forestry regulations", said Warmenhoven in a group statement. Another part of the proposed changes will require a Slash Mobilisation Risk Assessment as part of all harvest management plans. It would also consider refining requirements to remove all slash above a certain size from forest cutovers. MTT welcomed the proposed requirement for Slash Mobilisation Risk Assessments, however, it warned "this would be ineffective without enforceable planning requirements and local oversight". "A slash assessment without an afforestation plan is meaningless - it's a partial fix that ignores the root of the problem," said Warmenhoven. "We've already seen what happens when forestry is left to regulate itself and the problems with planting shallow-rooting pine on erosion-prone slopes. We are also concerned about the removal of references to woody debris, given that whole pine plantations collapsed during Cyclone Gabrielle and still line many waterways in the region." Last September, EWC chairman Julian Kohn said forestry firms were "bleeding money", with many companies finding Gisborne too costly to invest in. Speaking with Local Democracy Reporting, Kohn said EWC was still considering whether to submit its own response or work with other council members to make submissions. "We've been working closely with the minister and advocating for what we see needs to be real change in respect of some of the causes in the NES-CF [National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry]," said Kohn. "Our real concern is that the way the council is treating many of these consents and these enforcement orders are literally sending these forest companies to the wall." He said forestry companies would close if things continued the way they were, which would leave forests unmanaged and unharvested. "Next time we have a rain event, then some of those trees which have been locked up are going to come down the waterways, which is exactly what everybody wants to try to prevent." GDC's director of sustainable futures, Jocelyne Allen, said the consultation documents came "as no surprise" as they were broad and aligned with what the council had seen in the Cabinet paper and Expert Advisory Group report. "The packages cover infrastructure, the primary sector, freshwater, and urban growth, all areas that matter deeply to our region. "There are real opportunities here, but also some challenges, and we're taking the time to work through both carefully," she said. The council intends to submit a response and will be taking a strategic and collaborative approach to doing so, including engaging with tangata whenua, whānau, hapū and iwi across the region and working through its sector networks, particularly the Local Government Special Interest Groups and Te Uru Kahika, said Allen. Before the announcement of the proposed changes, in an email to Local Democracy Reporting on Monday, Primary Industries and Forestry Minister Todd McClay said forestry played an important role in the economy and provided many jobs on the East Coast. "The Government is working closely with the GDC and respected members of the forestry industry, farming and iwi to manage and reduce risk through better and more practical rules rather than blanket restrictions or bans." He said they are reviewing slash management practices and will amend the NES-CF so councils can focus on the most at-risk areas, lower costs and deliver better social and environmental outcomes. "We want them to focus on high-risk areas, which is what GDC is currently doing, rather than suggesting that there should no longer be any forestry in the Tai Rāwhiti region," he said. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air. 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Scoop
6 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Resilience Fund Wraps Up After Supporting Over 360 Hawke's Bay Businesses
Press Release – Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce The fund expanded on the existing RBP services to help businesses hit by Cyclone Gabrielle, connecting them with training providers for targeted support focused on well-being, financial planning and long-term business resilience. A special 18-month fund supporting Hawke's Bay businesses wraps up this month, with over 360 local businesses having accessed tailored support, training, and resources through the Regional Business Partner (RBP) programme. The Resilience Fund – originally launched as the Hawke's Bay Cyclone Recovery Fund – was secured and delivered by the Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce. The fund expanded on the existing RBP services to help businesses hit by Cyclone Gabrielle, connecting them with training providers for targeted support focused on well-being, financial planning and long-term business resilience. By working with many local training providers, the programme helped strengthen regional networks and ensured the benefits of the funding remained within Hawke's Bay. Callum Ross founder of RossAi utilised the resilience fund for training in areas of strategy and planning. He explained 'The training gave us practical insights into building operational resilience and highlighted key areas to strengthen around governance, communications, and technology' Callum added 'It helped us better align our services with the recovery needs of local businesses and councils…the training also connected us with a wider network of support agencies and mentors, which has been invaluable as we scale our response and build future-ready solutions.' Training demand was especially high in areas such as marketing and business planning, with businesses from Waipukurau through to Wairoa making use of the fund. 'We worked hard to secure this funding as we know how hard the region was hit after the cyclone, and we wanted to support our local business community as much as possible. This funding has made a real difference for small businesses across the region,' said Karla Lee, CEO of the Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce. 'We've really valued working alongside business owners- connecting them with training and advice that's helped them recover, build resilience, and grow.' The Chamber continues to be the region's delivery partner for the Regional Business Partner (RBP) network. In this role, the Chamber supports small and medium-sized businesses by providing access to government-funded resources, expert advice, and capability development services. Small business owners are encouraged to register for support and explore the original and ongoing available funding opportunities (eligibility criteria apply). Learn more at
