2023 North Island weather events recovery

Social Sector extreme weather recovery approach

Following the 2023 North Island Weather events it was decided that there was a need to create a long-term plan to support isolated communities affected by these events to recover.

This is a cross-agency social sector approach for affected regions of the early 2023 North Island Weather Events – enabling a locally-led, regionally enabled and nationally supported approach to response and recovery.

These weather events have placed additional stresses on disadvantaged communities. Combined with the lingering impacts of COVID-19 and resulting inflationary pressures, there exists a risk that New Zealanders’ wellbeing will struggle to recover without adequate and appropriate social sector support. A continued focus on improving access to these community and government supports is critical for community wellbeing and, in turn, the economic recovery.

Any recovery must focus on all dimensions of wellbeing for the affected communities, including cultural, psychological, social, economic and physical dimensions (including housing and infrastructure).

This plan aims to:

• Minimise the negative psychosocial and socio-economic consequences of the early 2023 North Island extreme weather events on individuals, whānau and communities.
• Preserve and enhance resilience of individuals, whānau and communities to respond to future adverse events.
• Acknowledge treaty partnerships and support Iwi-led recovery for whānau and hapū within their rohe.

Cyclone Recovery | MSD Updates

This report is an update on the Ministry of Social Development’s key monitoring in response to the severe weather events in 2023 (Auckland Flooding in January 2023 and Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023). This includes key updates on how the Ministry is supporting affected regions through income support, employment, and community programmes.