11. Cyclone Gita—Impact on New ZealandRINO TIRIKATENE (Labour—Te Tai Tonga) to the Minister of Civil DefenceCyclone Gita—Impact on New Zealand11. RINO TIRIKATENE (Labour—Te Tai Tonga) to the Minister of Civil Defence: What reports has he seen on the damage caused by ex-tropical Cyclone Gita?Hon KRIS FAAFOI (Minister of Civil Defence): I have received a number of reports updating me on the impacts of ex-tropical Cyclone Gita. In particular I have received reports and saw for myself yesterday that the Tākaka Hill road is badly damaged. Today the New Zealand Transport Agency is continuing to work to determine how long it will take to open at least single-lane access. It is likely to be several days although I've been reassured that everything possible is being done to expedite progress. The New Plymouth District Council continues to work today on repair of a broken water pipe and has started contingency arrangements for the supply of water. Additionally efforts are being made by Powerco to restore electricity to close to 5000 properties in Taranaki. Yesterday I visited Gita-affected areas in Nelson Tasman Golden Bay Westport Greymouth and Hokitika with my colleague the MP for West Coast - Tasman Damien O'Connor and saw the damage first hand. I would like to thank on behalf of this House the civil defence emergency management groups emergency services the Defence Force and the many volunteers and members of the community who helped prepare and respond and are now part of the community's recovery from this event.Rino Tirikatene: How well has the civil defence system stood up to these adverse weather events?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: While there was considerable damage on the whole people were well informed and took appropriate precautions and good decisions were made to declare local states of emergency early. This meant that local civil defence groups were able to keep people safe. Civil defence emergency management groups were also well prepared for this event. I'd like to thank communities too for their cooperation and understanding in Tākaka where fuel is being limited to ensure supply and in New Plymouth where water is the concern. I would also like to acknowledge Fonterra for allowing a barge it is chartering to get milk product out of Tākaka to be used by civil defence to get crucial supplies of food into Tākaka while the hill road remains closed.Rino Tirikatene: What steps can New Zealanders take to ensure they are prepared for emergencies like Cyclone Gita?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: With events such as ex-tropical Cyclone Gita likely to become more frequent it's more important than ever to be prepared. New Zealanders can start by having a conversation with people in their households and planning where they might go in the event of an emergency. Also look to who can help you and who might need your help. We also encourage people as they did in preparation for Cyclone Gita to ensure they have at least three days' worth of food and water and a grab bag in case they need to evacuate and that they know where to get the emergency information and are able to do so. With Cyclone Gita many New Zealanders took steps to keep themselves and their families safe and followed official advice. This helped limit the consequences of the storm and shows the benefit of preparation.