​Nelson flooding foreshadows what could happen in Auckland, councillor says

Councillor Sharon Stewart hopes recent flooding in Nelson will warn against heavy intensification in flood-prone areas of Auckland.

At the Civil Defence and Emergency Management Committee on August 30, Auckland Emergency general manager Paul Amaral said council staff were deployed in Nelson to help with the effects of recent flooding.

Council’s Zoe Marr was deployed as a log manager in Nelson and said she was happy to be able to assist Auckland’s neighbours.

We are “happy to be coming back to the office and bringing back those lessons learnt,” Marr said.

Committee chair Sharon Stewart said Auckland Council needed to be preventative regarding flooding, particularly with incoming intensification.

“We need to be a very responsible council… It will happen one day in our community what has happened down in Nelson,” Stewart said.

Stewart said intensification in Auckland would cause a lot of problems and worried flooding in certain areas would mean some families would be permanently pushed out of their homes.

With the flooding in Nelson, it was really important to know which properties are prone to flooding, she said.

“Hopefully this Civil Defence Committee can send some strong recommendations to consenting staff so we do not get it wrong.”

National Emergency Management Agency representative Katherine Biggs later spoke during the meeting and said council being able to provide surge staff to Nelson was crucial for people on the ground.

“I can only reiterate that it was hugely appreciated and showed how different parts of the country can support each other,” Biggs said.

The state of emergency has been lifted in Nelson and council staff have since returned to Auckland.