An urgent review into flooding in Wairoa last month will include whether the Wairoa River bar was adequately monitored and whether action was taken in a "timely way".
Environment Minister Penny Simmonds today announced the terms of reference for the rapid review into the Wairoa flood response today.
She said the local community had raised "significant concerns" about the management of the Wairoa River bar and the impact it had on flooded properties in the area, and the Government was committed to addressing them.
“Starting today, a qualified independent reviewer will lead an urgent and targeted review into the flood response.”
“The review will look at whether there was adequate monitoring of the state of the Wairoa River bar, whether correct decisions were made in a timely way, and whether there were any other actions that could have been taken.”
The review is expect to take about four weeks. Findings and recommendations will be provided to the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Wairoa District Council and Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa Trust next month.
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown said he hoped the results of the review would be able to help other councils' flood management.
“There are sand bars in other parts of the country that have similar complexities and challenges to the Wairoa bar. Other councils may benefit from the findings of the review as they develop practical plans for building resilience and responding to these events.”
Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell said Wairoa deserved answers around the decisions and actions taken in managing the bar.
“Last month’s flooding has been really tough for Wairoa.
"They should expect that flood management is monitored adequately, with timely actions taken to minimise the impact on the community.
"This review seeks to provide answers for Wairoa in relation to the recent flooding event and identify where improvements are needed to protect their community against future events.”
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