Wellington 'here and ready' to help flood-hit Auckland in any way, mayor Tory Whanau says

Saturday, 28 January 2023

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau, left, has offered support from the capital for Auckland following the storm, as Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, right, is criticised for acting too slowly.

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has offered up the capital's civil defence staff if storm-ravaged Auckland needs them.

Whanau spoke to Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty on Saturday morning, and said he told her it was likely civil defence staff may be requested.

'I said in my position as mayor I would 100% back that… So they're on hand basically waiting for Auckland to sing out.'

This could be building inspectors or emergency management officers, Whanau said: 'But we're basically here and ready.'

Video and images from January 27 and 28, 2023 show the extent of the damage caused by flooding after a severe weather event in Auckland.

* Auckland flooding: Where to get help, Civil Defence Centres set up

* Auckland floods: Tankers set up for west Auckland residents to get drinking water

Whanau was being praised on social media for responding quickly and offering practical support as Auckland's Mayor Wayne Brown continued to cop criticism for the pace of his response.

Brown declared a state of emergency at 10.30pm on Friday evening, hours after the torrential rain, flash flooding and mass evacuations in the super city.

Brown has defended the pace of his response, saying he acted immediately following advice from the duty controller.

He also told reporters on Friday night, at a late-night press conference: “My role isn’t to rush out there with buckets, it’s to be here ensuring that the centre is well-organised and that we are taking appropriate steps at the appropriate time – not rushing into them in response to noise outside.”

Speaking to RNZ’s Kim Hill on Saturday morning, Brown also took a run at Wellington’s preparedness: “It will be interesting to see just how well-prepared Wellington is when the earthquake strikes,” Brown said.

Whanau said mud-slinging was not important at a time of crisis, but rapid communication was.

”Mud-slinging aside, that’s not what’s important right now. It’s just – what does Auckland need?

'It's just letting them know that you're there, you're in touch with civil defence to declare a state of emergency if needed. I've seen a lot of frustration about the absence of that.

”And in times like these, compassion goes a long way.'