North Island Weather Events - Extending Community Support Funds - Budget 2023

Supporting people and communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland floods - Wellbeing Budget 2023.

This initiative extends assistance for community groups and providers and sets aside contingency funding to support the Social Sector Recovery Plan, so communities can continue to help people in areas affected by the recent severe weather events in the North Island.

The Government is investing $5 million in 2022/23 to fund existing applications received for the Community and Provider Support Funds. This will enable affected communities to continue recovering and (re)building their resilience following recent North Island Weather Events (NIWE).

A further $30 million will be held in a tagged contingency to be drawn down subject to Cabinet's endorsement of the Social Sector Recovery Plan.

• This funding builds on the current All of Government $14 million Community Support package in response to the Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. Communities were first responders after the events, supporting whānau to meet their basic needs such as food, shelter, power and basic necessities, psychosocial support, supporting youth accessing school and other community supports.
• Further funding is required to support communities to respond to the ongoing impacts of NIWE and we continue to work closely with communities and providers building on the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 Care in the Community welfare response.
• $3 million will be allocated to the Community Support Fund which helps to continue community relief and response as well as maintain and build the resilience of communities and volunteers in impacted areas, and will support ongoing participation, particularly for priority groups in impacted communities such as Māori, Pacific and youth.
• $2 million will be allocated to the Provider Support Fund which supports providers in impacted regions to maintain services to meet demand, as well as take steps to ensure the ongoing wellbeing of their staff through providing for staff relief and allowing for specialist supports.
• The demand for social supports and services is expected to increase over time with community needs becoming more complex as psychosocial impacts accumulate over time.
• The $30 million tagged contingency will provide funding for medium to long-term community response and recovery through the All-of-Government Social Sector Recovery Plan.