- Hon Kieran McAnulty
Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty has announced an initial contribution of $2 million to disaster relief funds to support affected communities on the East Coast of the North Island.
"Cyclone Gabrielle has caused widespread damage across the East Coast and this contribution will make sure financial support can be given to affected communities as quickly as possible," Kieran McAnulty said.
"The Government is making an initial contribution of $1 million to each of the Tairāwhiti and Hawke's Bay disaster relief funds.
"It's too early to know the full cost of the damage, but we want to make sure these regions have the resources to get immediate support to those who need it.
"I'm anticipating more requests for support as the need across affected regions becomes clearer. We're meeting requests as they come through.
"I've been on the ground in Tairāwhiti with the Prime Minister and Minister Allan to get a gauge of the impact first hand, and plan to get to other affected communities in the next few days.
"My thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle over recent days. What we saw today was gut wrenching.
"We know we have a long recovery ahead of us and the Government is committed to supporting communities through this.
"I want to thank everyone who has moved quickly to respond to this event - the Council, Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, marae, volunteers, and first responders who have all stepped up to keep people safe.
"The focus at the moment, for all those involved, is on continuing to respond to the emergency event. Central government continues to be available to support the local response teams as needed," Kieran McAnulty said.
