Hon Rick Barker
Minister of Civil Defence

2 April 2008
Media Statement

Civil defence emergency management heading in right direction

A public review of the National Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Strategy has concluded that CDEM is heading in the right direction but there is no room for complacency.

Civil Defence Minister Rick Barker today released a revised national strategy following the public review and welcomed the responses to the review process.

“Feedback from the public, the CDEM sector and government agencies confirmed that the Strategy is still appropriate,” Mr Barker said.

"We need to continue to reinforce that all New Zealanders need to participate in preparing for a disaster or emergency. Individuals, households and workplaces need to be involved in order to achieve the Strategy and the government's vision of a resilient New Zealand.

The Strategy lists the vision, high-level goals and objectives of the CDEM sector, based around the ‘4Rs’ – reduction, readiness, response and recovery.

“This is a strategy for all New Zealanders because it’s everyone’s responsibility to understand and manage the hazards we face,” Mr Barker said.

“Since the Strategy was first set in 2003, we have made good progress towards the vision of resilient New Zealand. We have increased capacity in CDEM at the national level, agencies within the CDEM sector are better co-ordinated with each other and we have launched a public education programme.

"Highlights over recent years include the two successful national exercises– Exercise Capital Quake and Exercise Ruaumoko, the work to strengthen and build strong international links, and creating greater public awareness through the Get Ready Get Thru campaign and the school based What's the Plan Stan?

"The immediate response to an emergency will always be from those people who are right there at home, at work, at school, wherever they are when it happens. We all need to be prepared to help ourselves, our families and our neighbours and the Strategy reflects this," Mr Barker said.

ENDS

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