Belich CamillaCAMILLA BELICH (Labour): Thank you Madam Speaker. On 27 January just a few weeks ago it started raining heavily in Auckland and it didn't stop. I was isolating at home with my family with four out of the five of us having recently had or were recovering from COVID-19. That afternoon in the early evening videos started to be shared from around the city. My sister's garden turned into a river. Busses were driving through floodwaters. There was water at the airport. To start with it was a surprise a curiosity. But it kept raining and it changed to flooding in friends' homes people afraid or stranded and evacuations. People were missing. Night fell; tragedy struck.I want to acknowledge the three people who passed away in Auckland and their families. I'm sure I speak on behalf of the whole House when I say to them we are so sorry for your immense loss.I also want to acknowledge the emergency services. It could have been a much worse tragedy had it not been for the selfless heroism of the men and women who work in our emergency services and for that you have our thanks.I want to acknowledge the people who lost their homes. A neighbour of mine had their home stripped bare to the timber frames their sodden worldly possessions out in the elements. Another had to evacuate in waist-deep water the fear still remaining with them days later. But overall when I spoke to my fellow Aucklanders most of them said that no matter what happened to them that they felt lucky and that they knew that there were people who were worse affected than they were and it was this amazing attitude of resilience and coming together and humbleness that was so impressive following this terrible tragedy.As I said at the time I was isolating with COVID. By the time I was out of isolation Auckland had stood up and stretched out hands to those in need. The council and the Government were coordinating to help Aucklanders and the community work together. After we experienced the worst people showed their best. I saw MPs from across this House putting aside plans leaving their own families in order to help the community. I want to especially acknowledge our Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni. She was I think at the St Leonards Road School evacuation centre for almost 24 hours a day in the first days. It was incredibly impressive dedication to the community and true leadership in a time of crisis.I also saw many members of the community that I didn't know or I hadn't met who were setting up centres for those displaced donating food clothing and bedding volunteering cleaning up properties that were flood-damaged handing out hot meals and being kind being Kiwis—being the best of us.Then the cyclone hit—as the Prime Minister said in his statement the most significant weather event of the century. Warnings were issued. I did a double take at the advice—would people really need to evacuate again? But the dire warnings proved to be sadly correct. The story of Cyclone Gabrielle is ongoing. I want to acknowledge those parts of New Zealand that are struggling with huge and unimaginable loss in her wake. We have colleagues from around the House out there in their communities at the moment helping to respond and recover from this event. I'm sure they'll have the opportunity to tell their stories of this tragedy in due course.Due to Cyclone Gabrielle in the area that I work in as a list MP in Mt Eden unfortunately there was an issue with a historic tower that proved unsafe during the cyclone. This shot tower meant that surrounding apartments had to be evacuated. A decision has now been taken to dismantle the shot tower and I'm sure those families will be relieved to be returning to their homes soon. I want to especially thank the Kindness Collective for really stepping up to assist those residents at really short notice at a time of great need.When we look at these recent weather events with sadness we also must look to the future with a renewed focus on addressing climate change and improving community resilience to extreme weather events. As the Prime Minister said this is a Government focused on the issues that matter to most New Zealanders and as stated in his statement this also includes urgent action on climate change. We know that these unexpected weather events will soon become something that we can expect and we must be resilient enough to not only build back better in response to these overwhelming tragedies but also build resilient communities that can withstand the things that we will face in the future.