The government said it is making additional contributions to Mayoral Relief Funds to support communities affected by recent severe weather.
“The impact of the weather events in January and February has been significant, and we want to make sure communities have the support they need,” Minister for Emergency Management Mark Mitchell said.
“The government has agreed to provide additional contributions to the Mayoral Relief Funds established by Whangārei District Council, Thames-Coromandel District Council, Gisborne District Council, Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council. These $100,000 top-ups follow the initial contributions made to those funds in January.”
It is also allocating $100,000 each to the Mayoral Relief Funds of Ōpōtiki District Council, Ōtorohanga District Council, and Waipa District Council, plus $30,000 to the Christchurch City Council Mayoral Relief Fund.
“These contributions will help local authorities tackle the most immediate areas of need within their communities while the broader recovery efforts get underway,” Mitchell said.
“Mayoral Relief Funds help local communities to support individuals, families, community organisations and marae after an emergency.”
“Mayoral Relief Funds have previously been used for activities such as cleaning septic tanks, filling water tanks, and clearing debris from properties.”
Meanwhile, Associate Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Chris Penk said the government is actively ensuring strong national-level support for the recovery effort.
“We have established a National Recovery Office within the National Emergency Management Agency to ensure there is a joined-up approach across government agencies and the impacted regions.”
Penk said multiple government agencies are contributing to recovery efforts, including the Ministry for Primary Industries, which aids growers and farmers via Rural Support Trusts; Te Puni Kōkiri, which supports marae resilience and emergency preparedness for future community responses; and the Ministry for the Environment, which assists local authorities in clearing emergency waste.