Hon Nikki Kaye

Minister of Civil Defence
16 December 2015

Positive report shows improvements in civil defence

An assessment of local government civil defence organisations shows their capabilities continue to improve across New Zealand, says Civil Defence Minister Nikki Kaye.

“The assessment of New Zealand’s 16 regional Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) groups began last year and was carried out by the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (MCDEM),” says Ms Kaye.

Under New Zealand’s civil defence system, local authorities lead civil defence actions, with coordination from regional CDEM groups and national support from MCDEM if required.

“Our system of involving communities and local government in emergency management is world-leading. While we have highly skilled and experienced staff we must continue to improve and enhance our civil defence capability across New Zealand.

“This national assessment was a rigorous process and is about being open and transparent about where and how civil defence groups need to improve.

“The assessment looked at how well regional CDEM groups are delivering the four key goals of our National Civil Defence Emergency Strategy.”

These goals are:

• community awareness and preparedness

• reduced risks from hazards

• improved management of emergencies

• improved recovery from emergencies.

“We are shifting our civil defence system from being too focused on responding to emergencies, to reducing the risk of hazards and helping communities be better prepared for and better equipped to recover more quickly from emergencies.

“The assessment tested capabilities in all of these areas. Each CDEM group was scored against the four key goals, with all scores combined to reveal a national rating of 70.3 per cent.

“This was a significant improvement from the last assessment in 2012, when the national rating was 58.8 per cent, and reflects work being led by MCDEM and regional CDEM groups to strengthen their capabilities.

“There has been a lot of work delivered this year which will further strengthen our civil defence system and the capabilities of CDEM teams nationwide. This includes the introduction of a revised CDEM Plan, which sets out the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in reducing risk and preparing for, responding and recovering from emergencies, and the completion of three years’ work to deliver over 100 recommendations from the Independent Review of the CDEM Response to the Christchurch Earthquake. The review has led to improved CDEM planning and guidelines, and more investment in ICT, training and exercises.

“Another important achievement this year was the introduction of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Amendment Bill. This bill aims to ensure that those responsible for overseeing recovery from small to medium scale emergencies have the necessary authority under the law to do this important work. A second stage of legislative review will be carried out next year, focused on large-scale emergencies.

“We are also working on delivering on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, a new global blueprint for how nations should approach disaster risk.

“Next year we will also begin a review of the National CDEM Strategy, which sets the long-term direction for CDEM in New Zealand. In addition, we’ll work with the private sector, community organisations and government agencies to implement a programme of work around risk reduction in New Zealand, and we’ll focus on better public education aimed at enhancing preparedness.

“New Zealand is a country prone to a range of disasters, and our resilience depends on us being prepared to handle any emergency that comes our way. I am confident that the work delivered over the last couple of years sees us stronger as a nation.

“We have more work to do, but I am pleased to see improvements in civil defence teams across New Zealand, and I look forward to seeing us continue to lift capability in the coming year.”

The National Capability Assessment Report can be viewed at: http://www.civildefence.govt.nz/cdem-sector/monitoring-and-evaluation/national-capability-assessments/

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