Adam Pearse: NZ Herald political reporter on Luxon claiming New Zealand needs to change its thinking on flood risks

Chris Luxon says New Zealand needs to change its thinking on flooding risks.

Latest official data projects up to 14 and a half thousand homes will face damage from extreme events in the next 35 years.

NZ Herald political reporter Adam Pearse says it's likely the Prime Minister is looking at eventually setting up additional resources for people in flood-impacted regions.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News TALKS'B.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Do you know what I mean now is talk local politics.
New Zealand Herald political editor Adam Pearce is with.

Speaker 3 (00:17):
Me hi Adam Howe, and it's a deputy political editor.
I wouldn't want to think that. I wouldn't want to
think there's been a coup on or anything.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
No, no, I like to elevate people here on the show.
Let's start with the Prime Minister. He has been in Tasman.
Where is government support at for the region?

Speaker 3 (00:35):
Yeah, we'll I've kicked on about six hundred thousand for
the Mayoral Relief Fund, which is always important. You know.
That's the money that people can access kind of in
a more immediate fashion to really help with the initial
initial cleanup. Obviously, we did see Prime Minister Chris Reluxean
speaking on the ground with those affected, doing the usual

(00:55):
fly over seeing the scale of the damage, which has
been pretty significant given that there have been multiple multiple
heavy rain events in that area over the last few
a few weeks. But we to get confirmation of a
long awaitedin radar for the Nelson Tasman region so that'll
be about five million dollars they reckoned to set up

(01:17):
and eight hundred thousand per year to keep it going,
and that look to have that And from about twenty
twenty seven now it's been a long long held issue
in that part of part of the country. Local authorities,
mayors have called for it quite a lot over a
number of years, simply because they argue that it's a
blind spot the Tasman area for the current radar tech

(01:39):
that we have, and it's really necessary in order to
be able to anticipate these events and make sure people
are prepared. So I can imagine that we'll be giving
people some kind of comfort looking forward. Obviously it won't
be coming in for another couple of years, but resources
for people like that in times like these are important.

(02:00):
But of course, hanging over all of this is that
kind of long running I suppose about who pays when
severe weather hits. You know, we saw obviously the devastation
that happened through cycling Gabriel and the long process there
in terms of compensation. Now, Luxem has been pretty clear

(02:20):
and has messaging here saying that the government simply can't
keep paying for it, especially when it's just going to
get more and more, more and more of these events,
and they're going to be more severe. So I think
it's a pretty clear line in the sand as the
who pays for it and how, well, really we don't.
We don't really know much about that, So I think
there are going to be some pretty tough conversations going.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
Forward, Adam, Any other conversation, Any other announcements happening today?

Speaker 3 (02:46):
Yeah, well, there seems to be similisters that we might have.
Might have an announcement later today, something relating to infrastructure. Now,
the government obviously have talked lots about how they want
to engage you overseas investors to get investment going with
these big projects. Now, you know, we're not we're not
far away from next year's election, and you know, there's

(03:09):
been a few big announcements obviously a lot of a
couple of roads, specifically if you're looking up north. But
you know there's a lot left on the government's dance
card as far as infrastructure goes, So we potentially might
be able to see a bit of that later this
afternoon or late this morning.

Speaker 2 (03:24):
Thank you so much, Adam, I appreciate your time this morning.

Speaker 1 (03:27):
For more from the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudken. Listen
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