Government’s proposed changes to the emergency management system do not fully address critical challenges the Canterbury region faces, according to a Canterbury CDEM Group and Canterbury Mayoral Forum submission on Emergency Management Bill (No 2) 2025.
The combined submission expresses concern about proposed changes, which it says contain inconsistencies and areas of ambiguity that could create confusion and increase operational risk.
Joint submission on the proposed Emergency Management Bill (No 2) 2025 (800KB PDF)
Other key points of the submission
- The Canterbury CDEM and the Mayoral Forum supports the intent of the Emergency Management Bill (No 2) 2025 to modernise and strengthen New Zealand’s emergency management system.
- Further legislative and policy development will be required to deliver a fit-for-purpose emergency management system capable of meeting the significant and increasingly complex demands anticipated over the next 25 years to 2050.
- There is strong concern that local government funding constraints, especially proposed rates caps, will undermine the Bill’s intent.
- As currently drafted, the Bill contains inconsistencies and areas of ambiguity, and it is essential that the powers, responsibilities, and interrelationships of each specified role are clearly set out.
- While the Bill provides for some recognition of the importance of iwi Māori in the emergency management framework, there are other opportunities to strengthen and support the role of iwi Māori that should be included in the Bill. Te Rūnanga O Ngāi Tahu, Papatipu Rūnanga and hapū have made, and continue to make, a significant contribution in readiness and activation in emergency management in Waitaha Canterbury.
The Mayoral Forum wishes to be heard in support of its submission.
