New Zealand has established a taskforce to ensure a speedy recovery and reconstruction of the areas affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and January floods. The Terms of Reference for the Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery Taskforce have been approved by the cabinet, with the taskforce’s primary purpose to align locally led recovery plans with the work of government agencies and the private sector. “Our response will ensure affected communities are at the center of the decision making and that local voices are fed back to the government through the taskforce,” Finance Minister Grant Robertson said on Wednesday. The taskforce will also oversee specialist groups of experts who will advise the government on what is required for the recovery and how to improve resilience to climate change and severe weather in the future, Robertson said.
The taskforce membership includes representatives from business, local government, communities and unions. There are also expert sub-groups for insurance and banking, utilities and telecommunications, as well as infrastructure, construction and roading.
