Changes to Civil Defence after minister declares 'room for improvement'

Tuesday, 25 June 2019

A GNS senior scientist talks about tsunami warnings after Civil Defence briefly issued a tsunami threat following a magnitude 7 earthquake in the Kermadec Islands.

A new-look Civil Defence organisation could be operating before the end of the year, with the Government saying there is 'room for improvements'.

Civil Defence Minister Kris Faafoi said in a statement on Tuesday the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) was being created with $4.5 million 'to put people and communities at the centre of any response'.

It would replace the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management and be part of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. It would be 'ready and able to provide an effective and integrated response to, and recovery from, emergencies'.

The November 2016 Kaikōura earthquake ripped up roads and damaged homes, and caused tsunami along the coast. (File photo)

The move follows a recommendation for a new ministry from a ministerial technical advisory group reviewing emergency responses after the November 2016 Kaikōura earthquake and the February 2017 Port Hills fires.

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National Civil Defence spokesman Stuart Smith has been trying to get information on the new agency since the May Budget.

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However, when that report came out in August last year, Faafoi urged caution about the recommendation for a new ministry and said 'a lot more work needs to be done before we get to that'.

The star shows where a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck in the Kermadec Islands region of the Pacific, northeast of New Zealand, on June 16.

He told Stuff good communication was essential in any emergency response.

'There is always room for improvements to be made – but this [change] is in no way a reflection on the many people who undertake civil defence and emergency management duties.'

The last public interaction most Kiwis had with Civil Defence was on June 16. The ministry issued a tsunami warning after a magnitude 7.0 quake in the Kermadec Islands eight minutes before rescinding it, based on advice from GNS Science experts.

Asked if he was happy with that performance, Faafoi said 'clearly there's a need for improvement'.

National Civil Defence spokesman Stuart Smith, the MP for Kaikōura, told Stuff he had been trying to get details of the changes from Faafoi's office for several weeks and how they might improve things.

He had also asked several questions in the House over the past month. All he had gleaned from Faafoi was the ministry had developed 'the first stages of a business case for a new national emergency management facility'.

He wanted more information about the $4.5m figure and the $12m over four years announced in the May Budget.

'They haven't been transparent with this. Why have they not provided a breakdown of the budgeted expenditure?'

Stuff has also been asking Faafoi's office since last Thursday for details of how the $12m would be spent.

Smith said the Official Information Act request was still a week away from its 20 working day deadline.

'We haven't got any information. We are just trying to find out what is going on.

'It's a pattern they [the Government] have. They say they will do something. They don't give any details, then they don't do anything.'

Faafoi's statement said the $4.5m would also be used to 'strengthen operations', including round-the-clock monitoring, and the 'resilience of the National Crisis Management Centre'.

It was possible to set up the new agency with just a few million extra dollars.

Total funding over four years would be $17.849m, he said.