The contract for an independent review of the performance of the Hawkes Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) response to Cyclone Gabrielle has been signed.

The contract was awarded to Bush International Consulting and will be led by Mike Bush, formerly Commissioner of NZ Police. Bush International Consulting has earlier this year completed the rapid review of the Auckland Flood response and is currently reviewing Oranga Tamariki’s troubled youth justice and community care facilities. Other panel members are:

• Debbie Francis, who has been involved in multiple large-scale and high-profile reviews for government and private industry.
• Ngahiwi Tomoana, the former Chair of the Board of Ngāti Kahungunu who has many and varied board experiences.
• Gary Knowles, the former Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Operations at the New Zealand National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
• Paul Vlaanderen, who has an extensive law enforcement background, including Search and Rescue (SAR) roles with NZ Police in Wairoa and Taupo.

Mr. Bush says the panel will follow “a tried and true method of interviewing people who responded during the event and key stakeholders, and will review a lot of documentation.”

“We’ll also set up a process for public input.”

Joint Committee Chair and Chair of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Hinewai Ormsby welcomed the start of the review.

“We look forward to receiving the review panel’s draft report later this year and a final report in 2024.”

The Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Joint Standing Committee represents Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Napier City Council, Hastings District Council, Wairoa District Council and Central Hawke’s Bay, as well as advisory members from Ngāti Kahungunu iwi and PSGE delegates.

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