Deputy PM visits Warkworth

While Tairāwhiti Gisborne remains the focus nationally for flood and cyclone recovery, deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni said in Warkworth on March 2 that smaller communities and isolated properties have not been forgotten.

Sepuloni was in town to visit Kiribati leaders at Southern Paprika, in her role as the Minister for Employment and Social Development.

She said the recovery structure that was put in place reflected the wide impact recent weather events had had across many regions.

“We have put ministers in charge at every regional level and for Auckland, that is Michael Wood [the new Minister for Auckland],” she said.

“We’re working hard to make sure there is a consistent focus and care for all the regions that have been impacted.”

Sepuloni said there was no doubt that 2023 would be a year of recovery and rebuild.

“We have to get through this and the way we will do this is by everyone pulling together. The arising challenges will be broad ranging and everyone is going to have to have a hand in the rebuild.”

With more than $100 million already pledged, Sepuloni said more money would be needed.

She said the financial cost of rebuilding would be huge.

“The Community Response Fund we have set up was reprioritised money, not new funding. But it won’t go the full distance in terms of what we will need for this response, so that is still a discussion that needs to be had.

“No one is talking about higher taxes, except maybe the Opposition.

“We are fortunate that we don’t have the level of debt compared to other countries post-covid, but no decisions have been made.” definitely something to rethink. The Minister then went on to the Wellsford Community Centre where she met volunteers who had given shelter to hundreds of people stranded during both recent storm events, and then to the volunteer fire brigade at Warkworth.

Sepuloni said the message from government was to build back better, build back safer, and be more mindful of the future, so the country wasn’t having to continually rebuild roads.

Fight the Tip update

Anyone interested in learning the latest on Fight the Tip’s court battle to stop Waste Management NZ putting a regional landfill between the Wayby and Dome Valleys should head to Wellsford on Sunday, March 19. A public meeting will be held at the community centre from 2pm to 4pm to update people on the Environment Court case, which is due to resume the next day, Monday, March 20, with the final planning and cultural evidence. The meeting is being hosted by Fight the Tip and Ngati Whatua, with a number of speakers lined up to outline the case so far, which has been running on and off since June 20 last year. The meeting will also include Fight the Tip’s (brief) annual meeting, and artworks and bumper stickers will be available to buy as a fundraiser.

Plant demolition

Work will start next month on the demolition of the former water treatment plant on Brown Road in Warkworth. Watercare contractor McConnell Dowell will carry out the work. The site will then be used for storage for the Warkworth to Snells wastewater transfer pipeline project. The existing water tanker filling station, located near the gate, will remain in operation during demolition works. Watercare says there are no firm plans for the long-term future of the site. “We’ll assess whether it could be used for future water or wastewater servicing.”

“Just driving out to Southern Paprika we crossed a bridge and I said I’ve never been so appreciative of the fact that not only was it standing, but I have a much better understanding of the sheer cost involved when we lose them. And the same goes for the roads.

“There’s a huge journey ahead of us to recover, but on a positive note, we have seen that there is real strength in our communities. People just pull together when things like this happen.”

Deputy says the government understands how widespread the impacts of the cyclone have been.