November 3, 2025 • 7 mins
Penny Simmonds says the State of Emergency reflects the situation around the lack of power which is still being experienced by businesses and houses in the south.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You've got Penny Simmons is MP from the Cargo as
well as Minister for the Environment, makes other portfolios and
joins us this afternoon.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Penny, good afternoon.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Look we're still in a state of civil emergency down
here in the South. Indications are that it is going
to be lifted perhaps later on in the week, but
bone make no qualms about it.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Were certainly still in that state.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Good afternoon, Yes, good afternoon. I'm up here in Wellington
actually just watching to party MARII come in with the
media scrum all round them, so that's going to be
interesting to watch. But look, just look, it's been a
long time for many people and it's going to be
much longer as the clean up continues. I understand we're
(00:53):
down to hundreds now rather than thousands without power, but
by golly, those few hundred that are left, they will
be sick and tired of it, so you know, our
thoughts are with them. And look, just going round the
province seeing the amount of cleanup that is going to
be there. It's going to be work in progress for weeks,
(01:13):
if not months, and it's going to impact on farmer's
productivity and certainly there's going to be quite significant, significant
financial fallout, both for the rural sector but also for
rural businesses. And I guess one of the things now
looking back is looking at what we can learn, the
(01:36):
lessons that we can learn from this. It gives us
a wake up call again. I guess a lot of
us will much better prepared straight after the christ earthquakes,
and I think in some ways as individuals, as businesses,
we've let that fall away a bit, just even simple
things like I remember after the earthquakes the people up
(02:00):
there saying they never let their petrol gauge go down
in their car under half full, because you know, you're
so hampered out in the rural sector if you can't
get petrol, if there isn't power on, you can't get petrol.
Little things like that, Also that being prepared individually with
food tortures, chandles, alternative cooking options, things like that. There's
(02:25):
no doubt that dairy farmers have really taken on board
the need to have generators. I understand there's a huge
number of orders in it's going to take till about
February for a lot of those to come through, but
just understanding the importance for dairy farmers of having those
(02:46):
alternative electricity generation options. So look, I think it has
given us a wake up call. But the other big
thing that I think needs to be discussed here at
Central Government is the loss of cell phone and internet coverage.
And I know talking to a number that the same
thing during cyclone Gabrielle. And of course the rural sector
(03:11):
gets so much more impacted by that, particularly those that
are living alone or vulnerable. You know, we had instances
of people that needed oxygen and you had no communication
to be able to let our district nurses know and
so all of those services it was made just that
(03:35):
much harder through loss of cell phone coverage and internet coverage.
So that's something I'll certainly be bringing up here at
Central Government.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Okay, so you're one of these people that's been without
power for almost a fortnight.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
And yes, we can't blame power in it.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
They're doing anything and everything in all these organizations to
get it up and running, but you can understand how
they feel let down by the system.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Is Yeah, Look, one of the things that we are
looking at is trees around power lines. A lot of
the damage was from trees bringing power lines down, and
so that's something across the country we need to look at.
We are spending a fortune from Cyclone Gabriel and other
(04:20):
events reinstating power when you know we could be preventing
this by having some legislation around how close to power
lines trees can be planted and also what height they
can be allowed to get to. So there is some
work being done there.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
As far as task force workers to come down and
help with around the fencing situation, is that something that's
been talked about.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
No, Look, it hasn't, and I think that's mainly because
people have taken some time to assess just how much
work there is, so we haven't got a good picture
of that yet. But that's some thing that I'm happy
to take up with central government once we know.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
I suppose task force workers are still a thing it
used to be once at one time.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
Look, a lot of it has been quite specific to
the work that we've done over COVID, and a lot
of those workers aren't available now. But of course, with
unemployment at the level it is at, there's options there.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
So Prime Minister Christopher Luxan, he's only just got back
in the country, I understand, but he'll be coming the
end of the South at some stage.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
Look, that's a discussion that I'll be having with him. Yes,
he just got back in the country on Sunday, so
he's been away for a few days, so I'll be
able to have that discussion with him.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
So what are your words to people at the moment though,
especially those who are just feeling a bit frustrated, Penny,
and you can understand.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Yeah, Look, I think the incredible resilience of our communities
has just been amazing. To see people helping each other out,
helping neighbors out, helping elderly those that are quite vulnerable
in the communities. That's just been amazing to see. There's
a lot of lessons for us all to learn from it,
(06:10):
as I said earlier, but just you know, really thinking
of people over these next few weeks and months, as
those with the most damage trying to reinstate fences and
get trees sorted out, and for those that have still
got power, we hope that that's going to be resolved
(06:31):
in the next few days, because, by golly, that's tough
for them being that long without power.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Now, resilience is a word that can be overused, but
that's pretty much the situation was struck down here over
the last couple of weeks. A lot of community events,
a lot of barbecues that are happening as well.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Yeah, and look, businesses and people just helping each other out.
You know. I heard of shopkeepers who were barbecuing for
forty eight hours straight, rather than letting food go off,
cooking it up for or the local community. People looking
out for elderly neighbors, looking in on them, making sure
(07:07):
they're all right. So tremendous work from people out in
the communities. But we've got some lessons to learn at
central government as well as well as local government.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Penny Simmons always appreciate your time on the muster. Now
you go follow that media scram see what goes on.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Eh, thank you.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Okay, bye, Penny Simmons MP from the cargo you listen
to the Muster.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Next we're heading to Naptil, catching up with Peter Gardin
You've got Penny Simmons is MP from the Cargo as
well as Minister for the Environment, makes other portfolios and
joins us this afternoon.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Penny, good afternoon.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Look we're still in a state of civil emergency down
here in the South. Indications are that it is going
to be lifted perhaps later on in the week, but
bone make no qualms about it.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Were certainly still in that state.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Good afternoon, Yes, good afternoon. I'm up here in Wellington
actually just watching to party MARII come in with the
media scrum all round them, so that's going to be
interesting to watch. But look, just look, it's been a
long time for many people and it's going to be
much longer as the clean up continues. I understand we're
(00:53):
down to hundreds now rather than thousands without power, but
by golly, those few hundred that are left, they will
be sick and tired of it, so you know, our
thoughts are with them. And look, just going round the
province seeing the amount of cleanup that is going to
be there. It's going to be work in progress for weeks,
(01:13):
if not months, and it's going to impact on farmer's
productivity and certainly there's going to be quite significant, significant
financial fallout, both for the rural sector but also for
rural businesses. And I guess one of the things now
looking back is looking at what we can learn, the
(01:36):
lessons that we can learn from this. It gives us
a wake up call again. I guess a lot of
us will much better prepared straight after the christ earthquakes,
and I think in some ways as individuals, as businesses,
we've let that fall away a bit, just even simple
things like I remember after the earthquakes the people up
(02:00):
there saying they never let their petrol gauge go down
in their car under half full, because you know, you're
so hampered out in the rural sector if you can't
get petrol, if there isn't power on, you can't get petrol.
Little things like that, Also that being prepared individually with
food tortures, chandles, alternative cooking options, things like that. There's
(02:25):
no doubt that dairy farmers have really taken on board
the need to have generators. I understand there's a huge
number of orders in it's going to take till about
February for a lot of those to come through, but
just understanding the importance for dairy farmers of having those
(02:46):
alternative electricity generation options. So look, I think it has
given us a wake up call. But the other big
thing that I think needs to be discussed here at
Central Government is the loss of cell phone and internet coverage.
And I know talking to a number that the same
thing during cyclone Gabrielle. And of course the rural sector
(03:11):
gets so much more impacted by that, particularly those that
are living alone or vulnerable. You know, we had instances
of people that needed oxygen and you had no communication
to be able to let our district nurses know and
so all of those services it was made just that
(03:35):
much harder through loss of cell phone coverage and internet coverage.
So that's something I'll certainly be bringing up here at
Central Government.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Okay, so you're one of these people that's been without
power for almost a fortnight.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
And yes, we can't blame power in it.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
They're doing anything and everything in all these organizations to
get it up and running, but you can understand how
they feel let down by the system.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Is Yeah, Look, one of the things that we are
looking at is trees around power lines. A lot of
the damage was from trees bringing power lines down, and
so that's something across the country we need to look at.
We are spending a fortune from Cyclone Gabriel and other
(04:20):
events reinstating power when you know we could be preventing
this by having some legislation around how close to power
lines trees can be planted and also what height they
can be allowed to get to. So there is some
work being done there.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
As far as task force workers to come down and
help with around the fencing situation, is that something that's
been talked about.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
No, Look, it hasn't, and I think that's mainly because
people have taken some time to assess just how much
work there is, so we haven't got a good picture
of that yet. But that's some thing that I'm happy
to take up with central government once we know.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
I suppose task force workers are still a thing it
used to be once at one time.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
Look, a lot of it has been quite specific to
the work that we've done over COVID, and a lot
of those workers aren't available now. But of course, with
unemployment at the level it is at, there's options there.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
So Prime Minister Christopher Luxan, he's only just got back
in the country, I understand, but he'll be coming the
end of the South at some stage.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
Look, that's a discussion that I'll be having with him. Yes,
he just got back in the country on Sunday, so
he's been away for a few days, so I'll be
able to have that discussion with him.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
So what are your words to people at the moment though,
especially those who are just feeling a bit frustrated, Penny,
and you can understand.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Yeah, Look, I think the incredible resilience of our communities
has just been amazing. To see people helping each other out,
helping neighbors out, helping elderly those that are quite vulnerable
in the communities. That's just been amazing to see. There's
a lot of lessons for us all to learn from it,
(06:10):
as I said earlier, but just you know, really thinking
of people over these next few weeks and months, as
those with the most damage trying to reinstate fences and
get trees sorted out, and for those that have still
got power, we hope that that's going to be resolved
(06:31):
in the next few days, because, by golly, that's tough
for them being that long without power.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Now, resilience is a word that can be overused, but
that's pretty much the situation was struck down here over
the last couple of weeks. A lot of community events,
a lot of barbecues that are happening as well.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Yeah, and look, businesses and people just helping each other out.
You know. I heard of shopkeepers who were barbecuing for
forty eight hours straight, rather than letting food go off,
cooking it up for or the local community. People looking
out for elderly neighbors, looking in on them, making sure
(07:07):
they're all right. So tremendous work from people out in
the communities. But we've got some lessons to learn at
central government as well as well as local government.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Penny Simmons always appreciate your time on the muster. Now
you go follow that media scram see what goes on.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Eh, thank you.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Okay, bye, Penny Simmons MP from the cargo you listen
to the Muster.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Next we're heading to Naptil, catching up with Peter Gardin
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