McAnulty KieranMINISTERIAL STATEMENTSCyclone Gabrielle—Declaration of State of National EmergencyHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management): I wish to make a ministerial statement under Standing Order 364 in relation to the recent declaration of a state of national emergency.On the advice of the Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management and in consultation with the Prime Minister I declared a state of national emergency under section 66 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 on Tuesday 14 February 2023 at 8.43 a.m. for the following civil defence emergency management group areas: Northland Auckland Waikato Bay of Plenty Tai Rāwhiti and Hawke's Bay. I also declared a state of national emergency for the Tararua district allowing it to be included within the nationally coordinated response. This is to manage the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle across the North Island. I took this step because the impacts from Cyclone Gabrielle are of such a degree that the civil defence emergency management necessary or desirable is or will likely be beyond the resources of the impacted civil defence emergency management groups. This event also requires a significant and coordinated response by and across central and local government.This has been an exceptionally tough time for people across Aotearoa in our cities towns and rural communities. Our thoughts are with those across New Zealand who are being impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle and I particularly acknowledge those across the north and east of the North Island who are experiencing the compounding effects of multiple severe weather events over this summer.I'm aware a member of Fire and Emergency New Zealand is still missing and a second critically injured from helping in the response. My thoughts are with them their colleagues friends and family at this time.I'd like to recognise the extraordinary efforts of emergency management staff emergency services volunteers and iwi community and rural leaders across the regions and say thank you on behalf of all New Zealanders. Even though national coordination is now in place the response has been and continues to be led at a local and regional level through civil defence emergency management groups.Cyclone Gabrielle has already led to many thousands of homes being without power at times during the storm and further outages are possible. We are also seeing evacuations in multiple regions landslips road closures surface flooding and flight and train cancellations.We aren't out of the woods yet. Forecasts show that the North Island will continue to experience severe weather today before easing on Wednesday and Thursday. I am heartened by the images of community members showing such great support for one another. Many evacuated residents are staying with friends or family and marae have played a valuable role by opening their doors to those who need support.I also want to acknowledge all members in this House from all parties who have worked hard on behalf of their constituents during this time. For those parties outside of Government thank you for working constructively with agencies and Ministers on behalf of your constituents. I particularly want to acknowledge the Hon Gerry Brownlee for his support and guidance throughout this time. There's no time for political games at times like this and you've lived up to that. So thank you.The National Emergency Management Agency's national coordination centre has been activated since 27 January in support of the upper North Island flooding response and now Cyclone Gabrielle. Over the past week hundreds of staff from the emergency services the New Zealand Defence Force the Ministry for Primary Industries the Ministry for Social Development the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment Waka Kotahi Te Puni Kōkiri as well as the National Emergency Management Agency and civil defence and emergency management (CDEM) groups have been on the ground across all affected areas.In response to this event 200 New Zealand Defence Force staff have been deployed including 125 in Greater Auckland 25 in Thames-Coromandel 21 in Gisborne and Hawke's Bay 21 in Tauranga. At least 137 civil defence centres marae and other community centres have been stood up across the country.Welfare and infrastructure needs are likely to increase as the full extent of the damage becomes clearer. The Government will ensure welfare services are available to help people with their needs. This is being delivered across the regions affected—and again local marae are supporting the delivery in multiple ways such as providing additional shelter locations for displaced people. To date over $14 million in civil defence payments have also been provided by the Ministry of Social Development to just under 27000 people in need since the Auckland flooding of 27 January.This is only the third time in New Zealand's history that a state of national emergency has been declared under our civil defence and emergency management legislation. The first was on 23 February 2011 following the 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch. The second was declared on 25 March 2020 owing to the impact of COVID-19 on New Zealand. The state of national emergency will be in place for a period of seven days unless extended or terminated early. If the need for central government coordination becomes clear in other regions these may also be brought in to the nationally coordinated response.Under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 today's state of national emergency declaration means the Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management may control the performance of functions duties and powers of civil defence emergency management groups and group controllers in those areas. While in force it will allow the national controller—in addition to CDEM group level controllers—to conserve and supply food fuel and other essential supplies; close roads and public places; evacuate any premises including a public place; requisition property including any land building vehicle animal equipment materials or supplies; direct persons to stop any activity that may cause or substantially contribute to an emergency; and undertake works—for example earthworks required for stabilising land and property. This declaration gives us the legal authority to coordinate and prioritise resources at a national level to ensure they get where they are most needed. Soon the Government will begin turning its attention to how it can support the recovery. The Government is strongly committed to supporting the regions as they recover from damage caused by the cyclone. We can expect the recovery to be long and complex in many areas and we'll assess these needs once the full extent of damage is known. For now our focus is on continuing to support the response as Cyclone Gabrielle passes. We will continue to work with the regions to identify needs and provide any further support needed.Mr Speaker I know that you and members across the House will join me in expressing our support and aroha to those impacted by this unprecedented emergency event and gratitude to those—often personally affected themselves—who have risen to the needs of the situation to support their communities at this time. To all those caught up in the event I say: kia kaha kia māia kia manawanui hoki.