Approach for regional cyclone recovery announced

Hawke’s Bay Ministerial Lead for Recovery, Hon Stuart Nash, Mayors, Chairs and Iwi Leaders have today announced a Regional Recovery Framework for Te Matau a Maui -  Hawke’s Bay and the appointment of Keriana Brooking as its Interim Recovery Manager.

Regional leaders say they know the people of Hawke’s Bay need confidence in where and how communities are going to be safe in the short term, and how reinvestment for the long-term future of the region will be planned and delivered.

Stuart Nash, Ministerial Recovery Lead for Hawke’s Bay says that is why priority has been given to agreeing a structure for recovery, and the appointment of an Interim Recovery Manager to swiftly pull together the functions and capabilities that will be essential to coordinating and planning the region’s recovery following Cyclone Gabrielle.

“This progress is a result of collaboration between our region’s local government and iwi leaders and Government, demonstrating the power of partnership that our region’s recovery depends on, Stuart Nash said.

Alex Walker, Mayor of Central Hawke’s Bay District Council and co-chair of Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay Matariki Governance Group says: “It is clear that the recovery task ahead is bigger than all of us, and that regional coordination and additional resourcing is needed to back-up the work of local communities, mana whenua and councils.

“To achieve this, we have built the framework for a recovery that will be locally led, regionally coordinated and government supported, so that we can move forward on the big issues for our region.” says Mayor Walker.

Leon Symes, Chair of Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa, and Co-chair of Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay Matariki Governance Group says the regional recovery will be built from a local level, with councils and mana whenua working in partnership with communities to understand and plan their short and long term needs and to reimagine what it means to be resilient in their homes and businesses.

“The appointment of Keriana Brooking as the Interim Recovery Manager, who has the capability, experience and relationships across the public and private sectors of Hawke’s Bay to stand up the Regional Recovery Office swiftly, is also critical to seeing the regional approach to recovery move with pace, Stuart Nash said.

“The scale and consequences of Cyclone Gabrielle, and the complexities of the recovery ahead require the immediate appointment of a trusted and highly capable leader to establish the recovery approach and functions.”

“Ms Brooking has the support of government, iwi and local government leaders to lead our region through the immediate transition period from response to recovery,” Stuart Nash said.

Ms Brookings immediate focus as the Interim Recovery Manager will be to support the transition of the response to date successfully into a short and long-term approach to recovery, while also establishing a regional recovery office to support the critical work required. 

An Oversight Board, made up of up to six locally appointed directors and an independent Chair appointed by Government will also be established for the region, to ensure that a strong and coordinated approach to the regions recovery can be achieved.   Regional Leaders will be working with Minister Nash with pace on the selection and appointment of a group of strong, diverse and skills-based directors and capable and reputable Chair for the Oversight Board.

Further details on the regional recovery framework and Oversight Board appointments will be announced in the coming week.

END

NOTES TO EDITORS

The recovery framework recognises that Matariki is the inclusive Hawke’s Bay Regional Leaders Forum, regionally led by Iwi and Council leaders that will be the vehicle to drive the long term social and economic outcomes sought for the region.

A new regional recovery office will:

• co-ordinate resources and planning regionally,
• explore innovative regional delivery mechanisms, and
• work with local and regional agencies and councils on efficient planning and delivery. 

An Oversight Board will be appointed, made up of up to six locally appointed directors and an independent Chair appointed by Government.

The Oversight Board will be responsible for:

• building the Regional Recovery Plan
• prioritising and sequencing the delivery of the recovery activities that are needed at scale
• negotiating with Government on issues of funding, legislation and other regulatory powers that may be needed

The Board will be accountable to regional leaders of Matariki Governance (made up of local government and iwi) and to Government through Minister Stuart Nash, Ministerial Recovery Lead for Hawke’s Bay, and Sir Brian Roche, Chair of Government’s Cyclone Recovery Taskforce.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Doug Tate
Chief Executive
Central Hawke’s Bay District Council
027 422 9977

Matt McCrorie
Press Secretary
Hon Stuart Nash
Ministerial Recovery Lead – Hawke’s Bay
021 827 265

FOR DIRECT CONTACT

Alex Walker
Mayor of Central Hawke’s Bay
Co-Chair of Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay Matariki Governance Group
027 860 7752

Leon Symes                                                     
Chair Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa
Co-chair of Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay Matariki Governance Group 
021 398 380

14 March 2023

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