Category: Local Government

Source: Auckland Council

Background

Extreme weather in 2023 damaged many homes across Tāmaki Makaurau, and we are working to place properties into three categories, based on a new Government risk framework:

• Category 1 – Low risk
• Category 2 – Risk can be managed with flood protection or land stabilisation
• Category 3 – High risk, house should be removed, and/or not rebuilt

Risk assessments and categories

To get to a risk category for your property, a detailed risk assessment is needed. We are unable to provide a category without this because every property is different.

The risk assessment helps build a picture of how likely it is that future severe weather events would pose a risk to life and whether there is a way this risk could be managed so it is safe for people to live there. The risk assessment gives us the information needed to apply a risk category to your property.

The start of the process for this is for you to complete the Landslide and Flooding Registration form. We will then start a risk assessment process for your property.

A risk assessment has two parts:

1. An initial desk assessment, based on existing information and any information you provide, which gives an indication of whether your property is likely to be low or high risk. The desk assessment also tells us if a site assessment is needed.
2. An on-site assessment to look at your physical property – this will be required if we think your home could be high risk.

The site assessments will look at whether there are changes that can be made at your property or in the surrounding area to reduce the future risk of serious flooding or landslides to the home. If there aren’t any practical and financially viable solutions and there is a risk to life, then it’s likely your property will be Category 3.

Do I need a risk assessment?

In some cases, it will be obvious that a risk assessment is needed – where damage was suffered in the weather events this year. Other houses may not have sustained any or much damage at all but are in areas that we suspect may be at risk in future.

We recognise that the uncertainty of not knowing whether your home falls into a higher risk category can be stressful, and that there are many families facing difficult financial situations. We are working as fast as we can to develop the categorisation process, but this has never been done before and there are many complex decisions to be made to ensure fair outcomes for everyone.

We extend our thanks to the many people who have already submitted information as part of the property categorisation process through the Flooding and Landslide Registration form. You can still fill out this form if you haven’t already – the information you provide is vital in moving forward a risk assessment.

Next steps if you’re waiting for a risk category

We are aiming to get in touch with people about next steps around six weeks after receiving a completed form from you.

We have already started contacting people. If you haven’t received an email from us yet, we are working through a large number of submissions and we will get to your property as soon as we can.

In some cases it is clear that a property is low risk and falls into Category 1 – we’ll write to you or email you to let you know if this is you.

In cases where we think, based on the information provided, that there is higher risk, an in-person technical assessment will be needed. We will let you know if this is the case. We need to carry out thousands of assessments, and we expect it to take several months to visit everyone. We are prioritising people most in need to give the most affected people certainty as soon as possible.

Property buyouts once a category is confirmed

We are still in discussions with central government on the funding arrangements and how a buyout scheme for Category 3 homes will work, as well as funding for work needed to protect Category 2 homes.

We regret that this process has taken longer than expected, however we hope to be able to share more details soon. We know that many displaced families in Auckland are doing it tough, but we’re trying to balance the need to move quickly with the need to make important decisions and get them right.

Source: Auckland Council

If you would like support and advice on your residential home insurance claim, the New Zealand Claims Resolutions Service (NZCRS) can help.  

The NZCRS is a free service that provides residential homeowners with advice, case management support where appropriate and access to legal, technical and wellbeing services to help them achieve timely, fair and enduring resolution of their residential insurance claims resulting from natural disasters.   

 They are there to help whether you’re unsure of what your insurer is telling you or have specific questions about either your insurance policy or the process that will be followed to settle your claim.

Do your homework before accepting a settlement

NZCRS Director, Darren Wright says they are starting to see a flow of settlements being presented to homeowners by insurers, and that it’s important for homeowners to understand their rights and obligations. He says homeowners should ask their insurer who will manage the repair – will your insurer arrange for the repair work to be done, or will you be responsible?

“If you receive a scope of work and payment from your insurer, it’s important to understand this is the insurer’s assessment and an interim payment based on what they believe the repair cost and strategy should be. The homeowner needs to engage their own builder to assess the scope and provide a quote for the repair costs. 

“If your builder’s scope is different from the insurer’s assessment, or the money paid by the insurer is not enough to cover your builder’s quote, then get in touch with your insurer. You should clearly set out what is different and what costs are not included. 

“It’s critically important you don’t incur any costs or agree with your builder on any contract until the insurer has accepted the changes and/or the cost variations. If the insurer is going to carry out the repair, it’s still important to check the scope to make sure you agree with it.”

You can contact NZCRS on 0508 624 327, email contact@nzcrs.govt.nz or visit nzcrs.govt.nz

Source: Auckland Council

Dotterel resting on shell beach

Some of the non-beach breeding sites had more success than usual, not having to deal with the effects of storm surge and overflow from this year’s storm events.

Auckland is a national stronghold for the species with an estimated national population of around 2,600 birds. As the population increases and with added human pressure on our beaches, dotterel pairs are continuing to turn up at new sites around the region, particularly non-beach sites, to nest each season.

Six chicks fledged from the land surrounding the NorthWest Shopping Centre at Westgate, three from the industrial area at Onehunga, and one from the grounds of St Kentigern’s College – highlighting dotterels can show up at all sorts of locations, not just the beach.

The northern NZ dotterel population has gone from a steady decline to nationally increasing and is a true conservation success story – Auckland dotterel minders have played a significant role in their national recovery.

Ben Paris says to make up for last season’s lower productivity, it is important everyone helps give dotterel the best chance they can this coming breeding season.

“We urge people to follow the messaging on dotterel signage and stay away from any fenced areas where they are nesting, follow the relevant dog rules at the beach (check where you can take your dog before you head out), keep your cat inside at night and get involved in a local pest free group.”

Auckland Council is funding a cohort of 20 dotterel minders to attend the Pūkorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre dotterel management course in August.

With the 2023-24 breeding season about to get underway, Auckland Council and dotterel minders are hoping for a better season.

Source: Auckland Council

Negotiations with Crown on proposed buyouts of Category 3 properties continue
Council has brought in additional staff, including professional expertise from Australia, to assist with process

Auckland Council is continuing to communicate with homeowners who are part of the Government’s property categorisation process, following the unprecedented weather events of early 2023.

Group Recovery Manager Mat Tucker says engagement with property owners has helped provide clarity on the scale and prioritisation of categorisation across the region.

“The information that property owners have provided through the Flood and Landslide Registration form has been vital in moving the risk assessment forward, and I’d like to thank everyone that has engaged with the process so far. The homeowner information, combined with modelling data and council information, has given us a really good steer on where we need to be focussing our resources first.

“We’re taking an evidence-based approach to categorisation, and so far the evidence indicates there will be larger clusters of Category 2 and Category 3 properties around Henderson, Rānui and Swanson, around Milford, and the Mt Roskill area. We’re also working closely with Kāinga-Ora on technical assessments to categorise their properties in line with the rest of the region, with priority being given to affected areas in Māngere.

Tucker says that for property owners that are likely to be Category 2 or Category 3, a site assessment is needed to understand the future risk to life at the property.
“This assessment looks at whether there are changes that can be made on the property or surrounding area to reduce the future risk of serious flooding or landslides to the home. This includes considering Auckland Council’s proposed “Making Space for Water” initiatives. If there aren’t any practical and financially viable solutions and there is a risk to life, then it’s likely the property will be Category 3.

“There has been comparison with the Hawke’s Bay, where they’ve been able to move groups of homes en masse from Category 2C to Category 1 once the repairs are made to something like a stopbank. Auckland’s denser built urban environment and land typography is very different, so in Auckland we need to go property by property to assess whether there are any options to reduce the risk to the people living there.

“Our priority through the risk assessments is to identify Category 3 homes as quickly as possible, recognising that these are the people with the greatest need for certainty about their future.

“When we started this process in mid-June, we said it would take around six weeks to get back to property owners once they’d provided their property information to us, and that’s what we’re tracking to. We understand that we can’t move fast enough for people that are living their lives in limbo, but we are working as hard as we can to get to the people who need us the most.

“These risk assessments are happening in parallel with our negotiations with central government through which we hope to agree funding and policy arrangements for proposed buyouts. There is a lot of detail to work out – how properties are valued, how purchases will work, and who will foot the bill for costs like legal fees and removing homes.

“It’s important to remember there’s no precedent or legal obligation for buyouts – the policy to do this work and the systems and processes to do this don’t exist. And importantly, the funding doesn’t exist. Any property buyouts will need significant funding from ratepayers and taxpayers. Auckland Council will likely need to consult with Aucklanders on the cost of the programme and the financial commitment needed.

“We’re walking a fine line here between moving as fast as possible to give private property owners the certainty they so desperately need, and making quality decisions that are the right ones for Auckland long-term.”

Geotechnical investigations progressing for west coast beach communities

Mr Tucker says good progress is being made in the communities of Piha, Karekare and Muriwai where large-scale geotechnical investigations are underway to determine the ongoing safety of homes in landslide affected areas.

“We’ll have a clearer idea of the scale of Category 2 and Category 3 properties in Piha, Karekare and Muriwai when the geotechnical studies underway in these areas are complete over the next few months. The property owners in these study areas have a slightly different process to get their category, and we’ve been keeping them informed as the geotechnical work has progressed.”

“Property owners within the study area in Muriwai have been provided with a timeline for this work, and we’re pleased we’ve been able to confirm that they’ll receive their initial property categories in late August.”

The geotechnical investigations for Piha and Karekare are due for completion at the end of September.

Certainty for Category 1 properties

Category 1 homes are now being identified as a result of the information being supplied by property owners and our desktop assessment.

“We’ve been able to start confirming groups of properties as Category 1. Where the property owner’s information and self-assessment as Category 1 aligns with our technical assessment, we can give these people some welcome certainty, and conclude the categorisation process for them.”

Thousands of site assessments needed

Of the thousands of homes in the risk assessment process, Auckland Council estimates 5,000 individual flood assessments will be required plus another 250 geotechnical inspections.

The first site assessments for flood affected properties will begin from the week of 14 August, with geotechnical assessments expected to begin from the 21 August.
“Property owners should be prepared that this scale of site assessments will take months to complete. The skills shortage in the technical fields of flood and geotechnical engineering are a real hinderance to us being able to do this work faster.

“A challenge we’re dealing with is sharing a limited number of specialists with affected regions – professionals that were in short supply even before the disasters. In the case of geotech, we’re contracting Australia-based teams to help with the desktop work because there’s just not enough resources available here.”

Following site visits, the council expects to begin conversations with homeowners about buyouts of Category 3 homes later this year. This timeframe will be influenced by the completion of government negotiations, and the outcome of any consultation with Aucklanders and Governing Body decisions.

Support for affected homeowners

Auckland Council agreed a rates relief programme to support residents in need with 100 per cent rates relief for uninhabited storm damaged homes. Red placarded houses as of 30 June 2023 will receive 100 per cent rates relief for the full 2023/2024 rating year. Homeowners that received a yellow or white placard can apply for rates relief if they are unable to live in their home. For more information visit OurAuckland.

Source: Auckland Council

Plans for the future of Auckland’s 3200km of coastline are continuing to take shape, with two Shoreline Adaptation Plans (SAPs) for Āwhitu and Manukau South approved at the August Planning, Environment and Parks Committee meeting.  

The council’s Shoreline Adaptation Programme is a series of 20 plans being developed across Tāmaki Makaurau, each providing a roadmap for managing council-owned assets in response to the impacts of coastal hazards and climate change over the next 100 years.  

The plans are non-statutory, ‘living’ documents, developed in collaboration with mana whenua and using guidance from infrastructure providers, technical experts and coastal communities.  

Chair of the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee Cr Richard Hills says it’s fantastic to see this programme taking flight.  

“Recent extreme weather events have shown the importance of putting strategies in place now to increase Tāmaki Makaurau’s resilience against future climate hazards and invest in the right places and protect important taonga to mana whenua, local boards and our local communities. 

Our Shoreline Adaptation Programme is a key part of this work and will help us to prepare for the effects of coastal hazards on our communities, infrastructure and environment.” 

Since the launch of the programme in 2021, four full SAPs have been developed, including the Whangapāroa Pilot and Kahawairahi ki Whakatīwai Beachlands and East Pilot.  

Manurewa-Papakura ward Councillor and Deputy Chair of the committee Angela Dalton says the choice of adaptation strategies for both Āwhitu and Manukau South reflect the values of local iwi, mana whenua and the community. 

“Our much-loved southern shorelines hold great importance for our coastal communities, particularly iwi and hapū. That’s why it was critical these plans were developed in partnership with mana whenua and are tailored to the needs and concerns of our communities.” 

The consultation process has included a series of events to identify community use and values, as well as mana whenua engagement with local iwi Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua, Ngāti Tamaoho, Waikato – Tainui and Te Ākitai Waiohua. 

“We thank everyone who has provided feedback an input to help us protect our coastal communities for the future,” says Cr Dalton.  

The approved SAPs for the Āwhitu and Manukau South shoreline areas include a range of adaptation strategies across the short, medium and long-term. These include include ‘Hold the Line’, ‘Limited Intervention’, ‘No Active Intervention’ and ‘Managed Retreat’. 

The development of the SAPs has demonstrated that most of the Āwhitu and Manukau South shoreline areas can be managed over the next 100 years with no active intervention, with limited intervention in areas where existing infrastructure can be relocated landward over time as it is routinely renewed.  

The full Manukau South and Āwhitu SAPs will soon be available to read here.  

Community consultation for the Pahurehure Inlet, Manukau East and North Shoreline Adaptation Plans closed earlier this month. All remaining SAPs will be developed over the course of 2024/2025. 

For more information on Shoreline Adaptation Plans, check out the council’s website. 

Source: Auckland Council

Have you got a craft project that you’ve been wanting to complete for ages, unfinished paperwork or mending that you’ve been meaning to do? Tick that job off your list in the company of others at the UFO Group, which meets at Central City Library’s Makerspace every week – and everyone is welcome.

Although the name suggests it’s a group that discusses strange sightings in the sky (if that’s more your jam, head to the non-fiction section on the second floor), in this case UFO stands for unfinished objects.

Community Development Facilitator Katie Richards organises the group, and says that the original intent behind it was to help build community.

Katie Richards, who facilitates the UFO Group, says that the concept behind the group – finishing unfinished projects – is broad enough that anyone can attend.

“It can be lonely in the city and we wanted to provide a space and a place where people could come and connect.”

“The beauty of the concept is that it’s open-ended enough for people to bring along whatever they like rather than needing to have a specific interest. So far, attendees’ projects have included journaling, scrapbooking, crochet, knitting, mending and even natural dye making.

The Makerspace has sewing machines and an embroidery machine you can use for free, as well as 3D printers that you can book to use for a small fee.”

“It allows for a diversity of interests, because the idea is that you could bring along paperwork to do if you wanted,” says Katie.

Janice Norton, who is working on some drawings of penguins on the day we visit, says, “I came along with a friend and really enjoyed the vibe, meeting all these different people from different walks of life and the lovely atmosphere, so I came back.”

You don’t always need to bring a project to finish – Janice Norton doodles some cute penguins while chatting to other group members.

One of the benefits is that you learn things through conversations with others and new ideas are birthed. For example, group member Janet Meads’ conversation about the community garden she is a part of at St Matthew-in-the-City has led to an organised talk on the garden followed by a tour for anyone interested in growing biodiversity within the city centre. The garden is supplied with compost from the Federal Street Compost Hub, which is supported by Auckland Council and St Matthew-in-the-City. It’s having its first birthday on the Monday following our visit, and UFO members who have become involved with the hub are making bunting for the celebration.

As well as the group being a great way to connect with others, Katie says you also gain the sense of satisfaction of finishing something off.

“You can sometimes have that mental burden of these things that you never get around to doing, so it’s also good for mental health to feel, ‘I got that done today!’”

The UFO Craft Group meets every Wednesday from 12-2pm at the Makerspace inside Central City Library. The machines in the Makerspace are free to use and can be individually booked at any time (3D printers incur a small charge to cover material used). Visit the Central City Library Makerspace website for more information.

Makerspaces are creative spaces in our libraries that feature a range of fun and educational technology that everyone can enjoy. These spaces are available at seven of the Auckland Council Libraries across Tāmaki Makaurau – learn more here.

Source: Auckland Council

At last – reducing the amount of waste to landfill is now much easier for central Auckland residents following the opening of local community hub in Western Springs for reusing, repurposing and recycling goods.

On Friday 11 August, Waiōrea Community Recycling Centre officially opened its doors to the public. The facility is the twelfth recycling centre to join Tāmaki Makaurau’s resource recovery network as part of Auckland’s goal towards zero waste by 2040.

The recycling centre is located in a heritage building at 990 Great North Road where extensive remedial work was required. As part of council’s zero-waste commitment, the refurbishment was carefully planned to minimise waste, which included its reusable construction shrink wrap-alternative made of fabric to cover the building, and its newly installed recycled carpet tiles.

Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa Ward Councillor Christine Fletcher is pleased with the region’s commitment to zero waste. “This is a huge milestone for Auckland, and should we continue on this trajectory with zero-waste programmes – we’ll be that much closer to realising our goals, including making Auckland the world’s most liveable city.”

Fellow Ward Councillor Julie Fairey says, “At the heart of this recycling centre is a collective effort to reuse resources and send less waste to landfill, and the cooperation across local board areas underpins this project as a great sign of what we can achieve together.”

The ceremony officiating Waiōrea’s opening was a momentous occasion with many acknowledgements to a raft of stakeholders, members of the community and staff who invested significant mahi to get this initiative from concept phase, a spade in the ground and then to opening day. Following the ceremony, the public were invited to tour the facility.

Albert-Eden Local Board Chair Margi Watson is delighted the centre is finally open. “The project wasn’t without its challenges, and collectively we owe everyone who was involved a huge thank you.

“In particular, Warren Snow from Envision, who pioneered the zero-waste movement and joined many of the dots that put this project into motion. Sadly, Warren passed in 2022 before he could see his efforts come to fruition,” she says.

As part of the opening ceremony, a tree was planted to commemorate Warren’s advocacy.

Initial efforts to investigate the centre’s feasibility and to scope a suitable site for the project were championed and funded by Albert-Eden, Puketāpapa and Waitematā local boards.

“Throughout the project’s lifespan, none of it would have been possible without Auckland Council’s Waste Solutions team. They have been extremely passionate about this initiative and have liaised between various stakeholders to get this project to where it is today,” says Chair Watson.

Puketāpapa Local Board Chair, Ella Kumar is excited to see the new recycling facility up and running. “The opening of this centre is a turning point for our communities and our environment. We look forward to seeing it humming with people hunting for revived treasures and exchanging ways of minimising waste,” says Chair Kumar.

Waitematā Local Board Chair Genevieve Sage is thrilled with the result. “It’s wonderful to have this facility opening locally, encouraging community recycling efforts to reduce unnecessary landfill waste,” she says.

Through an expressions of interest process, MPHS Community Trust was appointed to manage operations for Waiōrea Community Recycling Centre. There will be a range of workshops and events held at the centre along with the ability to drop off items for recycling or upcycling. The centre is open Thursday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm.

To stay up to date on all things happening in Albert-Eden, sign up for local news here or follow @alberteden on Facebook.

Source: Auckland Council

Part of our role at Auckland Council is to ensure everyone pays their fair share of rates. We want to make sure the funding of our services is shared fairly, and we have a rating policy in place for this. 

In order to make sure we are accurately and fairly treating each rating unit, we need to be consistent to all ratepayers in Auckland. This is achieved by ensuring the rates assessed are in line with our rating policy, which can be found in the 2023/2024 Annual Budget. 

Why are serviced apartments rated this way? 

“This is a two-way conversation between the council and property owners or managers. We play our part by checking and reviewing the accuracy of our data on a frequent basis, but we note that the status of a property can change from year to year,” says Rhonwen Heath, Auckland Council Head of Rates Valuations & Data Management. 

With numerous rating units across Tāmaki Makaurau in this category, it is an ongoing task to keep usage information up to date. Property owners, bodies corporate and property managers can therefore proactively contact us to notify us of any changes.  

“We proactively try to ensure the accuracy of our information by each year asking the managers of serviced apartments in Auckland if there are any properties that should be designated as residential, rather than commercial,” adds Rhonwen. 

Generally, managers know how each apartment unit in their building is being used and can tell us if it is being used commercially. We also rely on body corporates to play their part in ensuring they are letting us know how a serviced apartment in a hotel pool is being used. 

Once we receive proof of residential use, such as a utility bill in an owners’ name, we can change the designation. Rest assured, our rates team is prioritising these requests to ensure customers are not disadvantaged and queries of this nature are dealt with in a timely manner by our team. 

Treating ratepayers fairly and equally 

Frequent updates and review of this rating information allows us to maintain the accuracy of our information every year. This enhanced proactive approach has only improved the accuracy of our rating database, ensuring a fair and consistent approach for all Aucklanders. 

Our rates policy states that serviced apartments are charged non-residential rates unless they the owners provide proof that they are being used for residential purposes. This can be changed to residential if we are provided with proof that a serviced apartment is not being used for commercial accommodation, as some are. 

In the past, Auckland Council charged non-residential rates to confirmed serviced apartments only. However, post-COVID, we received complaints about serviced apartments being used for commercial use, but owners paying residential rates. 

It is important that we treat ratepayers fairly and equally and rate them according to the rating policy.  As a result, we took an enhanced proactive approach and contacted the hotel ‘pool managers’, asking them to let us know how every apartment was being used, rather than just the ones they knew the use of.  

This resulted in almost 2,000 serviced apartments coming back as ‘unknown’ or the contact did not respond. We then followed up on this correspondence throughout April and May with the managers, to ensure as many of these as possible had the correct classification. 

My residential serviced apartment has defaulted to non-residential – what should I do? 

“Rest assured, our rates team is prioritising these requests to ensure customers are not disadvantaged and queries are dealt with in a timely manner,” says Rhonwen.  

If anyone believes their rates have been charged incorrectly, we encourage them to contact our team at rates.data@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz and more information can be found on our website on what supporting documents might be needed.

Source: Auckland Council

Six Tāmaki Makaurau marae and three papakāinga housing projects will each receive funding this year from Auckland Council’s Planning, Environment and Parks Committee.

Grants totalling $1.2 million have been approved for nine applicants from the committee’s 2023/2024 Cultural Initiatives Fund, to support development in the year ahead.

The Cultural Initiatives Fund is part of a much wider council-led focus to support Māori needs and aspirations through the Kia Ora Tāmaki Makaurau framework. It specifically supports marae development and papakāinga housing – two of 10 outcomes identified by Māori as being important priorities for future wellbeing.

Each recipient this year will receive a share of the $1.2 million fund based on plans outlined in their application.

Some projects include the installation of solar panels, water storage equipment, various maintenance tasks, as well as the replacement of existing assets and future planning.

Councillor Angela Dalton says supporting marae and housing development in Tāmaki Makaurau is an essential component of the council’s Long Term Plan, with a total of $1.2 million allocated each year across the 10-year life of the plan to the Cultural Initiatives Fund.

“The long-term value of this funding is really significant. We’ve already seen many benefits from these grants, on projects supporting the social, economic, and cultural wellbeing of Māori communities across Auckland.

“In the hands of mana whenua and mataawaka leaders, this funding is helping marae and papakāinga housing projects to thrive.”

The Cultural Initiatives Fund has so far been able to support 20 marae developments, some multiple times, in the Tāmaki Makaurau area, over a five-year period.

Not all applicants this year have been successful, as the fund is highly over-subscribed. A total of 14 grant applications were received, with five applications declined due to insufficient information and not meeting guideline criteria.

Councillor Richard Hills says the committee remains focused on supporting as many projects as possible, by distributing funds right across Tāmaki Makaurau.

“As Auckland grows and we look to build a more resilient region, marae continue to play an increasing role as community hubs for people needing guidance or refuge – particularly during extreme weather events. We see supporting their development as critical for the future wellbeing of our communities.”

Successful applicants for the 2023/2024 Cultural Initiatives Fund

Recipients	Funding
Ngaa Hau E Whaa o Pukekohe	$110,500
Parish of Waipipi Lot 369a Trust (Rereteewhioi Marae)	$142,500
Te Kia Ora Marae Trust	$142,500
Ruapōtaka Marae	$142,500
Pāpatūānuku Kōkiri Marae	$124,500
Ngāti Wai o Aotea Kawa Marae Trust	$125,500
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Housing Trust	$142,500
Te Kawerau Iwi Tiaki Trust	$142,500
Te Motu a Hiroa Charitable Trust	$127,000
Total amount:	$1,200,000

 Find out more about our Cultural Initiatives Fund, and our other community grants, at our website: www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/grants

Source: Auckland Council

Hauraki Gulf Forum Co-Chairs Nicola MacDonald and Toby Adams will tomorrow publicly unveil the 2023 State of the Gulf report, produced for the forum by Coast & Catchment Ltd.

“The Hauraki Gulf continues to be pummeled by our actions on land and at sea, plus the spread of new invasive species and increasing impacts from climate change,” says Forum Co-Chair Toby Adams.

“This report paints a grim picture of the current health of the 14,000sq. km blue backyard of the Auckland and Waikato regions – home to around 2 million people.”

“Seabirds struggling to feed their young, the near loss of our last scallop beds, rampant kina devouring our kelp, and the rise in milky-flesh snapper are just some of the stories that have emerged over the past three years since the last report in 2020, pointing to continued ecological collapse,” he says.

“But there are also stories of hope,” says Forum Tangata Whenua Co-Chair Nicola MacDonald.

“Stories of the actions taken by mana whenua and communities to stand up for the Gulf, to lay rāhui and power restoration efforts. The planting of waterways, and investment in stormwater networks. In addition, the important announcement by the government earlier this week of (i) a bespoke fisheries plan for the Gulf, and (ii) a promise to introduce legislation for a long-overdue set of new marine and seafloor protection areas that will lay a foundation for the Gulf’s recovery.”

“Furthermore, for the first time in over 100 years, the Gulf is finally free from the most destructive form of fishing – scallop dredging – after a Gulf-wide temporary closure by the Minister for Oceans & Fisheries. That needs to become permanent.

“However, the Gulf is never static,” says Co-Chair Toby Adams, “and climate change has now well and truly arrived. The ‘one in 20 year’ Cyclone Hale was followed up not much more than 20 days later by Cyclone Gabrielle. Increasing climate change impacts will result in rapid and far-reaching changes to the Gulf.

“The best defence we have is a restored Gulf, a protected Gulf, and a biodiverse Gulf. The Hauraki Gulf Forum is committed to that better future. 

“Our recently released natural capital valuation showed that the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, even its current poor health, is worth over $100 billion to this country as a natural capital asset. This is too big to let fail. We must do everything we can to protect and restore this taonga.”