Wairoa Mayor: Road upgrades between Napier and Wairoa will boost safety and accessibility
The road between Napier and Wairoa is on the mend.
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has announced $16.8 million in Budget 2024 funding to support councils in accelerating recovery efforts following the severe weather events of 2023.
The funding comes from the Cyclone Recovery Capability Fund announced in Budget 2024.
“Councils have said they require additional expertise to speed up their priority recovery projects, and this funding enables exactly that,” Mitchell says.
He says the money will be distributed to 12 councils, for 50 separate initiatives which councils identified to help get faster outcomes for their communities.
“This includes additional geotechnical expertise to speed up decision-making on landslide-affected properties, as well as resources to accelerate roading recovery, bridge repairs and flood protection projects in affected regions,” Mitchell says.
“Recovery is an ongoing process, and we recognise councils are working hard to implement the necessary measures to support recovery in their communities,” he adds.
“We are committed to supporting our councils and communities as they continue to rebuild and recover from the devastating impacts of last year’s severe weather events.”
The announcement was welcomed by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, which allocated $2.18 million.
Regional Council chair Hinewai Ormbsy says the additional support will help speed up progress on the flood mitigation work already underway in partnership with Government.
“We know how important it is to our communities to have these flood mitigation projects completed as quickly as possible, and this additional funding should help us achieve that for them,” says Ormsby.
“We appreciate people in the affected communities of Wairoa, Whirinaki, Waiohiki, Omahu, Pākowhai and Pōrangahau who are waiting for these projects to be finished so they can have more certainty about the way forward. We hope this will help reassure them that we are doing everything we can to complete the projects as soon as possible.”
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
Nationwide rural wellbeing programme, Farmstrong recently celebrated its tenth birthday at Fieldays with an event attended by ambassador Sam Whitelock, Farmers Mutual Group (FMG), Farmstrong partners, and government Ministers.
Six industry organisations, including DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association (DCANZ) have signed an agreement with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to prepare the country for a potential foot and mouth outbreak.
OPINION: ACT MP Mark Cameron isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but he certainly calls it how he sees it, holding…
OPINION: Did former PM Jacinda Ardern get fawning reviews for her book?