Hon Kris Faafoi

Minister of Civil Defence
31 January 2018

MEDIA STATEMENT
Cross-party group progresses response to natural disasters and emergencies

Civil Defence Minister Kris Faafoi today met with representatives from across Parliament to discuss the Government response to the report into how New Zealand responds to natural disasters and emergencies.

The Ministerial Review - ‘Better Responses to Natural Disasters and other Emergencies in New Zealand’ - was started by the previous Government and Minister Gerry Brownlee last year and had cross-party support. A technical advisory group (TAG) was formed to provide advice on the most appropriate operational and legislative mechanisms to support effective responses to natural disasters and other emergencies.

Mr Faafoi says he aims to continue the cross-party approach to Civil Defence because he believes political consensus is needed in order for all New Zealanders to have the best emergency response system possible.

“Effective emergency management is part of a government’s fundamental responsibility to protect the community. It is important for New Zealand’s social, built, natural and economic environments as well as our cultural wellbeing. Given all of that, I felt that to continue to work collaboratively with all parties provides the best opportunity for us to keep New Zealanders as safe as possible.”

The report from the TAG makes a number of recommendations and Mr Faafoi is also meeting with local government, the emergency and civil defence sector, iwi and other groups over the next few months.

“Despite the fact that the system stands up well when it needs to, we are aware from recent events that there are improvements we can make and it is time to make them.

“I am planning to hear from as many stakeholders as possible because I know there is a real depth of experience and commitment in the civil defence sector, as well as first-hand experience of having managed through an emergency response. With my colleagues including Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Minister for Local Government and Minister for Maori Development, I will be engaging widely on this with the aim of making sound decisions and putting our civil defence system into its best footing for the future.

“Given New Zealand’s unique threat from natural disasters, we need to pull together and ensure we get this right.”

The cross-party TAG reference group will meet again later this year before Mr Faafoi confirms recommendations on the TAG report later in 2018.

The TAG report and submissions can be found here.

Notes for editors:

The Technical Advisory Group was set up following the Kaikoura earthquakes and the Port Hills fires emergency, in February 2017 to review the current response framework.

In June 2017, terms of reference were announced for the review. The TAG was tasked with providing advice and options to the Government on the most appropriate operational and legislative mechanisms to support effective responses to natural disasters and other emergencies in New Zealand.

The TAG report was released publicly by Hon Kris Faafoi on 18 January 2018.

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