B+LNZ accompanied Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on a recent visit to Tairāwhiti to see firsthand the extensive damage caused by the recent severe weather event, which left parts of the region badly affected and several communities still isolated.
Over a 12‑hour period, the upper coast was hit with 250–400mm of rain, resulting in widespread slips, infrastructure damage, and blocked access routes. Many communities remain cut off, especially around Wharekahika, with access still a major challenge days later.
B+LNZ’s Pania King, Mātanga Whenua Māori (Māori Agribusiness Advisor) for Tairāwhiti, has been leading joint landowner and farm damage assessments alongside Tairāwhiti Whenua Charitable Trust (TW) across the areas placed under the red weather warning. With a large proportion of the impacted land being Whenua Māori, the collaboration has been essential in accurately understanding the scale of damage and the immediate needs of farmers and landowners.
Hilton Collier, CEO of Tairāwhiti Whenua, says collaboration and foresight are key. “These moments remind us that resilience is built over time. When national and regional partners back locally led, kaupapa-driven approaches, we see better outcomes for communities and for the whenua we all rely on.”
Pania shared some of their findings with the Prime Minister during the visit, highlighting the urgency of support and the coordinated approach required for recovery.
She says, “This is our home, so we will continue to care for our communities and our lands to minimise the impacts on future generations to the best of our ability.”
“Many landowners are still recovering from the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle, and experiencing another event of this scale so soon after has been extremely tough. Despite this, local resilience remains strong, and I’m incredibly proud of how the community has rallied together again, just as we did after Cyclone Gabrielle.”
The information that B+LNZ is helping to gather is being fed into the overall process to understand what damage has occurred and will help inform the Government’s and local communities’ short‑term recovery actions and longer‑term planning.
