Seymour DavidDAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT): Thank you Mr Speaker. I rise on behalf of ACT in acknowledgment and support of the Minister for Emergency Management's motion regarding Auckland. Can I first start by acknowledging the situation at Abbey Caves in Northland. It is developing quickly and there may have been changes since I last checked the media but as a Whangārei boy who has shall we say been made to climb through Abbey Caves by his school a few times I can't imagine the distress that people will be feeling with severe rain and flooding and one student still in the caves. I think that our thoughts and prayers should be with those people in that situation up at Abbey Caves just north of Whangārei.I further acknowledge the situation in Auckland and particularly in the Epsom electorate. I know that there is absolute gridlock in the traffic system surface flooding in places and of course enormous concern because of the devastation that occurred only three months ago at the end of January or the beginning of February when many homes were flooded many vehicles were lost. In my recent door-knocking I've found that the effects of that continue right up to this day. To then have another flooding event certainly brings about a large amount of trauma.In the immediacy the mayor has declared a state of emergency locally for Auckland delegated his responsibilities to Desley Simpson the deputy mayor and I know that Auckland Council will be under very good steerage with Desley. We expect heavy rains to continue and what's important is that people stay safe get home—assuming that their home is not affected—call 111 only if absolutely necessary because there is an immediate risk to people's life or their property and take shelter with friends if necessary. I see that there is one shelter out at Te Manawa library in Westgate but that's a long way from most Aucklanders. Many people will be relying on friends and family and there were so many touching examples of friends and family taking each other in in the late January flood. So you may be OK but there may be people in your street in your neighbourhood in your family in your workplace or your friendship group who are in need of shelter and support over the 24 hours to come or longer if these floods are bad.I know that inevitably this too shall pass and there will be some analysis of why this keeps happening and what can be done about it and I just make the point that in a recent survey I did sent to 6000 households in the Epsom electorate electronically I got back responses where of those who were flooded 55 percent were aware—in fact actually 55 percent of respondents; almost two-thirds of those who were flooded—of previous complaints about the performance of stormwater systems in their street. Of those 35 percent of respondents had previously complained to council. I know that there will be a lot of people who will make the argument that this is proof that New Zealand must reduce its emissions. Well it certainly should but once you break down why people real people on the ground are being affected by events like this right now the overwhelming majority of homes have actually been OK. The whole of the Stonefields development—well designed well drained—was not affected by flooding. Places in the Epsom electorate and beyond where there's been a lot of intensification and not as much investment in upgrading the drainage capacity and especially drain maintenance are facing real challenges. That is a lesson that while we need to focus on the immediate challenge we also need to learn from incidents like this and guide our future behaviour and policy making.In the meantime I just wish safety for those affected in Abbey Caves for those who are affected by flooding in Auckland—and for those who are helping each other out good on you. That is always the best of Auckland and New Zealand. We will get through it because this too shall pass. Thank you Mr Speaker.