CAPTIONS BY ABLE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 KIA ORA. GOOD MORNING. WE CONTINUE OUR SPECIAL COVERAGE OF CYCLONE GABRIELLE, AS SEVERAL COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTH ISLAND REMAIN CUT OFF AND THOUSANDS ARE STILL WITHOUT POWER. WE'RE STANDING BY FOR AN UPDATE FROM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MINISTER KIERAN MCANULTY AND DEFENCE MINISTER ANDREW LITTLE. WE'LL BRING YOU THAT AS SOON AS IT HAPPENS. IN THE MEANTIME, POLITICAL EDITOR JESSICA MUTCH MCKAY IS LIVE FROM PARLIAMENT. JESS, WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THIS BRIEFING TODAY? THIS IS THE FIRST BRIEFING OF THE DAY. WE ARE GOING TO GET THESE ON A TWICE DAILY BASIS NOW FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS WHILE THIS IS DEVELOPING. WE WILL BE HEARING FROM THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MINISTER ON EXACTLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED. THERE IS A COUPLE OF HOTSPOTS LIKE THE HAWKE'S BAY, GISBORNE, THAT WILL BE ASKING QUESTIONS ON. WILL ALSO ASK HOW THE COORDINATION IF IT IS GOING ON. HERE IN PARLIAMENT, THERE WAS A PREPLANNED VISIT BY PRINCESS ANNE. HE MET WITH THE PRIME MINISTER IN HIS OFFICE. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANS HAD TO CHANGE. THE PRINCESS ROYAL WENT WITH THE PRIME MINISTER TO TELL WHETHER BUNKER TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. A LITTLE BIT OF BALANCING GOING ON. SHE HAS EVENTS THIS AFTERNOON, LAYING A WREATH. THINGS HAVE TO CHANGE WHEN WE'RE IN A STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY. YOU MENTIONED TWICE DAILY BASIS. I NOTE PARLIAMENT WAS DUE TO START. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE IN TERMS OF RESPONSE FROM THE GOVERNMENT IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS? IT DOES FEEL LIKE WE ARE REASONABLY WELL PRACTISED AT THIS. THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS THAT IT NEEDS REGULAR MEDICATION WITH THE PUBLIC ESPECIALLY WITH THOSE THAT ARE CUT OFF. * COMMUNICATION. THEY DO KNOW THEY HAVE TO KEEP TALKING TO PEOPLE, AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH MEDIA CONFERENCES. WE HAVE THIS MEETING AT 11.30 WITH THE TWO MINISTERS. AT 1 O'CLOCK, THERE IS AN UPDATE ON AUCKLAND. AT 5.30, THE PRIME MINISTER WILL GIVE US AN UPDATE. THAT WILL BE ABOUT THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS OFFICIALS AND ELECTRICITY OFFICIALS SO WE CAN GET THE LOGISTICAL UPDATES. THIS IS SO WE CAN KEEP REGULAR COMMUNICATION GOING FROM A NATIONAL LEVEL AS WELL AS WHAT COMING OUT OF THE REGIONAL CENTRES. WE ARE A NATIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR SEVEN DAYS AND WE ARE ON DAY TWO OF THAT NOW, SO WE CAN EXPECT THESE TO KEEP TICKING OVER. AS WE SAW DURING COVID, WE SAW THESE BRIEFINGS A LOT, AND IT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE PUBLIC TO KEEP UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST INFORMATION AND HEAR FROM THE MINISTERS MAKING THE DECISIONS THEMSELVES. WE ARE STANDING BY THE PRESS CONFERENCE. SO MANY DIFFERENT ELEMENTS FROM THE SITUATION. WE LOOK AT CHRIS HIPKINS IT'S NOT A MONTH INTO THE JOB. HOW DO YOU THINK IS DOING? ITS NOT QUITE THREE WEEKS INTO THE ROLE. HE HAS COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY, HE IS DOING A GOOD JOB. THIS IS NOT NEW TO HIM AS COVID-19 MINISTER. HE WENT TO AUCKLAND FOR A FEW DAYS AND HE CAME BACK TO WELLINGTON LAST NIGHT TO COME AND GET THOSE BRIEFINGS AND BE HERE IN PERSON. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS A BIT IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. WHEN THESE BIG DISASTERS HAPPEN, WE NEED THE PRIME MINISTER BACK IN WELLINGTON. THIS IS THE CENTRE OF INFORMATION. ALL OF THE OFFICIALS ARE HERE COORDINATING AND THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO WALK IN AND OUT OF THE PRIME MINISTERS OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THAT COMMUNICATION FLOWING. IT'S A LOT HARDER TO DO IF HE IS ON AUCKLAND OR IN ANY OF THOSE AREAS. HE WILL STAY HERE TODAY TO REGROUP. YOU WILL INSPECT HIM TO HEAD OUT, BUT WERE NOT SURE WHETHER HE IS GOING TO AUCKLAND OR THE HAWKE'S BAY, BUT HE WILL NEED TO DO A BALANCING ACT BETWEEN GETTING OUT AND THE OFFICIAL BRIEFINGS AND THINK WE'LL SEE HIM DOING THAT A BIT WILDER IN THE STATE OF EMERGENCY. AS YOU SAY, IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET THE BALANCE RIGHT. IT'S REALLY PROBABLY NOT THE BEST TIMING. WE HAVE A ROYAL BEZZANT, PRINCESS ANNE, PROBABLY NOT THE BEST TIMING. * ROYAL VISIT. FOR HER TO COME HERE AND DO THIS VISIT. SHE IS VISITING WITH THE DEFENCE FORCE. SHE WALKED THROUGH THE LOBBY AND THE CORRIDOR A SHORT TIME AGO,. AND WHEN I WALKED THROUGH THE BUILDING, HER MOTORCADE WAS WAITING FOR HER OUTSIDE THE BUILDING. AS PART OF BEING IN GOVERNMENT WITH THESE IMPORTANT VISITS LIKE PRINCESS ANNE VISITING. SHE WILL BE VERY UNDERSTANDING. WE STILL HAVE THESE OBLIGATIONS BUT STILL WANT TO WELCOME HER TO NEW ZEALAND SO THE PRIME MINISTER HAS A MIDDLE GROUND WHERE SHE HAS COME INTO HIS OFFICE FOR A CHAT, WHICH ISN'T USUALLY WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, AND SHOWED HER AROUND THE BUNKER WHICH IS NOT WHAT WOULD USUALLY HAPPEN. THE PRINCESS ROYAL WILL BE NO STRANGER TO THESE SORTS OF WEATHER EVENTS AND SHE WILL BE OUT AND ABOUT TAKING IT ALL IN AND THEN SHE HAS THE CEREMONIAL THINGS LATER ON THIS AFTERNOON, WHERE SHE WILL BE LAYING A WREATH. SHE IS HERE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE HEADING BACK. IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO FIT INTO THE MIX OF ALL OF THIS.. WITH CYCLONE GABRIELLE TRACKING AWAY FROM NEW ZEALAND, THE FOCUS WILL BE ON GETTING THE COMMUNICATIONS BACK. HOW DO YOU SEE THE PRESS CONFERENCE PLAYING OUT AS IT DIFFERED FROM YESTERDAY? THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. THE REAL FOCUS WILL BE ON THE HAWKE'S BAY AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF STORIES AND REPORTS COMING OUT ABOUT THAT. WE WANT TO KNOW THE BIG PICTURE AND WE WILL GET THAT FROM THE MINISTERS TODAY. THE OTHER THING THAT YOU MENTIONED THE GISBORNE AREA, THE COMMUNICATION IS ANOTHER BIG THING. THE OTHER THING THAT THEY HIGHLIGHTED YESTERDAY WITH THE COROMANDEL, THE ROADS ARE IN SUCH BAD CONDITION THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET IN AND OUT. WE ARE IN A PHASE THAT SOME PLACES ARE STARTING TO RECOVER, BUT OTHER PLACES ARE STARTING TO GET THAT OPERATIONAL LEVEL AT THE MOMENT AND IT'S THINGS LIKE COMMUNICATION, FOOD SUPPLY, BASICS LIKE HEALTHCARE AND GETTING ALL OF THAT INTO THESE AREAS THAT ARE SOMETIMES QUITE LIMITED. IT'S ABOUT PAINTING A PICTURE ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY IS HAPPENING AND THAT IS REALLY HARD TO DO IF YOU ARE CUT OFF IN AREAS LIKE THAT. I KNOW THAT FROM OUR NEWSROOM, HAVING REPORTERS OUT AND ABOUT, COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN CHALLENGING. WE ARE RELYING ON THE WI-FI AND CELL PHONES, AND WHEN YOU ARE HAVING TO REVERT BACK TO LANDLINES AT THE LANDLINES ARE WORKING, THAT DOES CREATE REAL CHALLENGES AND THAT IS JUST FOR NEWSLETTER LOGOS DEALING WITH THESE CHALLENGES. WE GET A TASTE OF THAT CHALLENGE AND THE NEWSROOM ABOUT WHAT THE EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE DEALING WITH ON THE GROUND. IN TERMS OF NUMBERS, THE DEFENCE FORCE ARE REALLY COMING INTO THEIR OWN AND THE SITUATIONS. WE HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF RESCUES. THAT'S WHAT THEY DO WELL. THEY CAN SET UP CENTRES AND COORDINATE THE LOGISTICS OF GETTING IN AND OUT THAT IS CONTROLLED HERE FROM WELLINGTON. THEY WILL BE GOING IN AND SETTING UP PLACES. I KNOW WHEN I HAVE COVERED... EVENTS LIKE THE KAIKOURA EARTHQUAKE. THEY SET UP HUGE KITCHENS TO HAVE CAPACITY TO FUEL A WHOLE AREA. THAT IS THEIR BREAD AND BUTTER. THINGS LIKE THAT NEED TO BE COORDINATED. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND IT IS WHAT THEY DO FOR THEIR DAY JOB IF YOU LIKE. WE ABSOLUTELY NEED IT RIGHT NOW. WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU WHEN WE SEE THE MINISTERS COMING. THANKS. AUCKLAND IS IN CLEAN-UP MODE AGAIN IN THE AFTERMATH OF CYCLONE GABRIELLE. ZION DAYAL IS OUT AND ABOUT IN OUR BIGGEST CITY. ZION, YOU'VE JUST GOT AN UPDATE ON THE FIRE FIGHTER WHO WAS MISSING AFTER A LANDSLIDE IN MURIWAI? GOOD MORNING. FIRE AND EMERGENCY RELEASED A STATEMENT GIVING AN UPDATE ON THE FIREFIGHTER THAT HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE MONDAY. HE WAS LOST IN A LANDSLIDE. ONE HAS BEEN FOUND AND REMAINS IN A CRITICAL CONDITION BUT STABLE AND HOSPITAL. MOMENTS AGO, EMERGENCY SERVICES RESUMED THEIR SEARCH FOR THE OTHER FIREFIGHTER AND THEY HAVE FOUND A BODY BUT I WAITING TO IDENTIFY IT. SOME DAYLIGHT FINALLY THIS MORNING. IT CAN REVEAL THE TRUE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE AROUND THE CITY AND AROUND THE AUCKLAND REGION. I AM AT A HOME JUST OUTSIDE THE AUCKLAND CBD. AS YOU CAN TELL BEHIND ME, IT IS UNLIVABLE. THE FLOODS TWO WEEKS AGO BROUGHT THIS BANK BEHIND ME DOWN. THEY HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE HOUSE AND THE CYCLONE MADE IT WORSE. THE CLEANUP JOB HAS STARTED. THIS IS A SITUATION, THIS IS A SITE, THAT IS QUITE FREQUENT, QUITE SIMILAR ALL AROUND AUCKLAND. THE MINISTERS HAVE ARRIVED ` WE'LL GO TO THEIR BRIEFING NOW LIVE. WE CAN SEE KIERAN MCANULTY COMING IN AS WELL AS ANDREW LITTLE TO GIVE US A BRIEFING. WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED NEWS THAT IN THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING FIREFIGHTER THAT A BODY HAS BEEN LOCATED. BUT IT IS YET TO BE IDENTIFIED. NEVERTHELESS, OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY, TO THE COMMUNITY, AND OF COURSE TO ALL VOLUNTEERS AND EMERGENCY SERVICES. THIS IS NO DOUBT WILL HIT HARD. AS YOU WILL BE BE, CYCLONE GABRIELLE HAS MOVED OFF THE COAST OF NEW ZEALAND WHICH MEANS WE, THANKFULLY, I'LL THROUGH THE WORST OF THE STORM. WE ARE NOT OUT OF DANGER GET THOUGH. WE HAVE LOST TWO LIVES IN THE HAWKE'S BAY. THIS IS INCREDIBLY UPSETTING FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED, AND MY THOUGHTS ARE WITH THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS AS THEY FACE THIS TRAGIC LOSS. MY THOUGHTS ARE WITH THE ENTIRE HAWKE'S BAY COMMUNITY IN THE FIRST RESPOND IS ON SCENE. OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE CARRYING OUT RESCUES AND LAND SEARCHES AND A NUMBER OF PLACES. YESTERDAY, NORTH OF 300 PEOPLE WERE RESCUED AND HAWKE'S BAY AND ARE CURRENTLY BEING CARED FOR IN CIVIL DEFENCE CENTRES. ONE LARGE BUILDING HAD 60 PEOPLE STRANDED ON THE ROOF AND ALL HAVE BEEN RESCUED. THE RESCUE COORDINATION CENTRE HAS 25 AMENDING TASKS THAT OF PEOPLE REQUIRING RESCUE. THESE ARE BEING TRIAGED AND THERE ARE HELICOPTERS UNDERTAKING RESCUES. EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE CONFIDENT THEY WILL COMPLETE THE TASK TODAY AND THERE ARE NO FURTHER BECAUSE TODAY AND HAWKE'S BAY. EVACUATIONS ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AND HAWKE'S BAY IS FLOODING CONTINUES. AT THIS STAGE, 9000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED. AND 3000 PEOPLE ARE IN CIVIL DEFENCE CENTRES. WAIROA REMAINS CUT OFF. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM AND NEMA PERSONNEL ARE EN ROUTE TO THEM TO PROVIDE A NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT. AT WHICH POINT WE WILL MEET THE NEED REQUIREMENT. IN AIR FORCE PLANE HAS BEEN TASKED TO FLY OVER WAIROA TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE. OUR FOCUS TODAY IS TO GET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES. WE ARE CONFIDENT WE WILL GET THE RESOURCE REQUIRED, BUT WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS. WE ARE UTILISING ALL OPTIONS. ESPECIALLY WHERE COMMS ARE LIMITED. THIS MORNING, I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE MAYORS OF GISBORNE, HASTINGS, CENTRAL HAWKE'S BAY AND TARARUA AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK TO NAPIER MAYOR. THE OTHER MAYORS KNOW THEY ARE ONLY TO TELL US WHAT THEY NEED, AND WE WILL WORK TO PROVIDE IT. OUR KEY MESSAGE REMAINS THE SAME SAFETY FIRST. LOOK AFTER YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILIES. EVERYONE KNOWS WE HAVE A LONG PATH AHEAD OF US AS WE LOOK AT EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO HOMES, AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT DISASTER AND WILL TAKE MANY WEEKS FOR THOSE MOST AFFECTED TO RECOVER. THE GOVERNMENT IS FULLY COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES. HOW WE RESPOND TO A DISASTER LIKE THIS IS VITAL, BUT THE RECOVERY IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AND WE ARE ON THIS FOR A LONG HAUL. I WILL HAND OVER TO MINISTER LITTLE TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE DEFENCE FORCE. I ALSO WANT TO BEGIN BY EXPOSING MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND WORKMATES AND THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY OF THE ISLAND HERE FIREFIGHTER WHOSE BODY HAS BEEN LOCATED THIS MORNING. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING SITUATION THAT MANY FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES ARE FACING RIGHT ACROSS THE TOP HALF OF THE NORTH ISLAND AND AN EAST COAST. JUST NOTE THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE IN OUR THOUGHTS. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE DEFENCE FORCES DOING WHETHER TO THEIR COMMUNITIES, OR WHETHER THEY HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED FROM THE USUAL PLACE OF HOME AND WORK TO HELP OUT IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT RESPONSE. IN TERMS OF NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE CONTRIBUTION TO THE RESPONSE, THERE IS MORE THAN 215 PERSONNEL *250 PERSONNEL. MANY HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED TO ASSIST WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CYCLONE. HELICOPTERS A BEING UTILISED. A FIFTH WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR DEPLOYMENT IN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. UTILISE 1/5 WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR DEPLOYMENT IN THE NEXT DAY OR 21 HAS BEEN TASKED WITH A SURVEILLANCE OVER THE BAY OF PLENTY. ONE WILL BE DOING A RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT OVER THE HAWKE'S BAY. THE HMNZS MANAWANUI IS BEING READY TO BE DEPLOYED FROM DEVONPORT NAVAL BASE TO GO TO NAPIER ONCE THE NEEDS, PROVISIONS THAT ARE NEEDED ARE KNOWN. IT WILL SET SAIL AND WILL BE IN NAPIER SOMETIME TOMORROW. THERE ARE OTHER TRUCKS IN USE ACROSS NORTHLAND, BAY OF PLENTY, TAIRAWHITI AND HAWKE'S BAY. OTHER TRUCKS ARE LEAVING LINTON TO ASSIST. NH90S AND HAWKE'S BAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF RESCUES, INCLUDING OF PEOPLE OF THEIR ROOVES AND FIVE DOGS HAVE ALSO BEEN RESCUED. AS I SAID, AND HAWKE'S BAY, WE HAVE THREE HELICOPTERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO BE DEPLOYED AND WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH NEMA FOR THE DEPLOYMENT. OTHER ASSETS I REFER TO OUR GETTING READY FOR DEPLOYMENT AS WELL. ONCE AGAIN, I EXTEND MY THANKS TO ALL THE NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE PERSONNEL WHO ARE INVOLVED. MANY MORE ARE ON SHORT STANDBY FOR DEPLOYMENT FROM THE BASES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. TO EVERYBODY IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, KNOW THAT SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE AND THE DEFENCE FORCE AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH NEMA ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THOSE NEEDS ARE MET. THANK YOU. IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME BUT I CAN'T SAY THERE IS AN EXPECTATION. THAT HAS BEEN A SERIOUS EVENT. THERE ARE STILL RESCUES TO HAPPEN. OBVIOUSLY WE HOPE THAT THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN BUT IT IS A SERIOUS EVENT THAT HAS ALREADY LED TO 2 DEATHS. ONE OF THE PLACES YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT IS WAIROA. I DO ABLE TO GET INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNITY? THERE HAS BEEN COMMUNICATION WITH THE LOCAL CIVIL DEFENCE. POWER IS BACK ONTO A LARGE DEGREE ON WAIROA. EVACUATION CENTRES, THE WOMAN WARRIOR HALL AND THE PRESBYTERIAN *WAIROA HALL. UNCERTAINTY CAUSES ANXIETY AND CONCERN, BUT WE STILL DON'T HAVE A FULL GRASP OF THE SITUATION. WE WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND AND THAT IS HAPPENING AS WE SPEAK. MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE EFFORTS TO RESTORE POWER, WATER. THE CIVIL DEFENCE ARE SAYING THEY HAVE MAY BE AN HOUR OF WATER LEFT IN TARARUA. AS A GENERAL RULE, LOCAL CIVIL DEFENCE WHO ARE MOST IN TOUCH WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THEY NEED TO KNOW THEY NEED TO LET NEMA KNOW, AND THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET THE BASIC PROVISIONS TO THEM. I HAVE HEARD THOSE CONCERNS COMING FROM THE COROMANDEL AND OTHER ISOLATED COMMUNITIES. THEY ARE FED STRAIGHT INTO NEMA. PEOPLE ARE WORKING ON SOLUTIONS AND THAT IN THE BUNKER WHAT ARE THE AREAS AT OTHER HOTSPOTS OR AREAS OF CONCERN THAT HAVE NO COMMUNICATION? WE AS A FOCUS OF THE ATTENTION? THEY WERE ALL OF CONCERN BUT ALL OF CONCERN FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. COROMANDEL, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ROAD NETWORKS HAVE BEEN DECIMATED. THE SUPPLIES ARE THERE BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET THEM IN. WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO GET THEM IN. TAIRAWHITI ` THE MIA FEELS CONFIDENT THAT WITH THE AIRPORT CLEARED, *MAYOR. WE WANT TO PRESERVE WATER. WE HAVE ONGOING OPERATIONS GOING ON AT THE MOMENT. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AND WAIROA. IT DOESN'T TOUCH ON NORTHLAND WITH THE HUGE POWER CUTS. EVERY AREA HAS THEIR OWN AREAS OF CONCERN. WHAT DOES REASSURE ME AS NEMA IS AWARE OF THOSE AND WORK IS UNDERWAY TO GET THEM WHAT THEY NEED. WHAT IS THE MESSAGE TO PEOPLE OUT THERE AT THE MOMENT? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL THEM? WE SHOULD ALWAYS WORK ON OFFICIAL INFORMATION. WE SHOULD ALSO ACT ON OFFICIAL ADVICE AND KEEP TRACK OF THE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS. I DO RECOGNISE THERE ARE CHALLENGES BECAUSE COMMUNICATIONS ARE LIMITED. THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE THEY DO NOT HAVE POWER. THEY DO NOT HAVE A LOCAL COMMS NETWORK AND THAT CAUSES A LOT OF ANXIETY TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THOSE AREAS, BE THEY IN NEW ZEALAND OR OVERSEAS. WHAT I WOULD SAY IS WHILE THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTACT, PLEASE REST ASSURED THAT THOSE ON THE GROUND AND CIVIL DEFENCE PERSONNEL ARE BEING SUPPORTED. THEY HAVE A GOOD GRASP ON THE NEED OF THE COMMUNITY AND THEY ARE CONTACTING PEOPLE IN NEED AND LOOKING AFTER THEM. ARE THERE ANY COMMUNITIES YOU ARE AWARE OF THAT HAVE NOT HAD ANY OFFICIAL CONTACT OR HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE REACHED? THERE ARE ISOLATED COMMUNITIES BUT THAT IS NOT UNUSUAL IN A RESPONSE. EACH AREA HAS A WAY TO CONNECT TO THOSE RURAL COMMUNITIES THAT ARE PRONE TO BEING ISOLATED. SOME HAVE A RADIO SYSTEM WHERE THEY CAN LINK BACK TO DEFENCE. AS THE MINISTER SAYS, IT IS QUITE LIKELY AND EXPECTED THAT THERE WILL BE SOME ISOLATED POCKETS AROUND. AS WAS ALSO NOTED, IN PLACES SUCH AS THE EAST COAST, THERE ARE WELL-ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY NETWORKS WHICH ARE SET UP BY CIVIL DEFENCE. THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CONNECT AND WITH EACH OTHER, CHECK ON THE NEIGHBOURS, ASSEMBLE AT THE MARAE, HELP FEED EACH OTHER. THEY ARE TALKING TO THE EAST COAST ECC THIS MORNING. THEY WERE FEELING QUITE COMFORTABLE THAT THAT NETWORK IS MOBILISED IN THE AREA AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE SAFE. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE SEEN IN COMMUNITIES FROM NORTHLAND THROUGH TO THE EAST COAST AND OTHER PLACES IS THAT COMMUNITY RESPONSE PLANS AND GROUPS HAVE MOBILISED AND DONE EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE ASKED OF THEM PREVIOUSLY WHICH IS ACTIVATE THE PLANS, DON'T JUST LOOK AFTER YOUR OWN HOUSEHOLD, REACH OUT TO THE NEIGHBOURS OR THE PEOPLE IN NEIGHBOURING VALLEYS. WE ARE SEEING LOTS OF THAT IN THIS EVENT. DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATE ON THE PEOPLE THEY COULD BE RESCUED AND THEIR HEALTH STATUS? YES, THEY HAVE BEEN ASSESSED MEDICALLY. THOSE THAT REQUIRE HOSPITAL TREATMENT HAVE GONE THERE. PEOPLE THAT NEEDED LESS SEVERE MEDICAL TREATMENT HAVE RECEIVED THAT. AS FAR AS I AM AWARE EVERYONE THAT HAS BEEN RESCUED HAS HAD THEIR MEDICAL NEEDS MET. OTHER ANY TYPE OF INJURIES THAT YOU ARE SEEING COME THROUGH THAT YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE OF OUT IN THE RURAL AREAS? I ASKED SINCE WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION THIS MORNING AND I HAVE HAD NO INFORMATION SINCE THIS MORNING. WHAT ABOUT HOW MANY INJURIES ARE THERE? I DO NOT HAVE A NUMBER. BUT THROUGH THOSE LOCAL NETWORKS THEY ARE ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE MORE ISOLATED AREAS AND IDENTIFY PEOPLE THAT NEED IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE. WITH SOME OF THE ROADS BEING A BIT MOVABLE, SHOULD PEOPLE BE AWARE OF THAT? HOW WILL THEY KNOW IF THOSE ROADS ARE DANGEROUS TO GO ON? IF IT IS A LOCAL ROAD, LOCAL COUNCILS WILL BE SURVEYING THOSE AND A CLEAR AND WHETHER THEY ARE SAFE TO PASS OR NOT. IF IT IS FLOODWATER, THEY WILL STILL ASSESS WHETHER A ROAD IS SAFE TO PASS. JUST BECAUSE A LANDSLIP HAS BEEN CLEARED DOESN'T MEAN THE ROAD IS SAFE AND MANY OF THESE AREAS. IT IS A VERY SODDEN AREA AND THE LAND CONTINUES TO MOVE. WHILE THE ROAD AS THERE MAY NOT BE SAFE BUT A STATE HIGHWAY MEANS IT IS WAKA KOTAHI. WHAT ABOUT COLUMNS? ARE YOU GETTING MESSAGES THROUGH FROM SATELLITES LIKE LAST NIGHT OR ARE COMMS BUT FOR MOST PEOPLE? COMMS HAVE FASTLY IMPROVED FROM A CIVIL DEFENCE PERSPECTIVE. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH THE MAYOR. FROM OUR EXPERIENCE THE MOBILE NETWORKS AREN'T BACK UP AND RUNNING. WE HAVE PERSONNEL ON THE WAY. I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO PEOPLE FROM DEFENCE FORCES AND NEMA THIS MORNING. IT IS THERE HOPE TO GET COMMUNICATIONS TO WAIROA. HAVE YOU GOT A REGIONAL SPLIT FOR THAT ` HAWKE'S BAY AND THE S COAST. THE NUMBER THAT I HAD, 9000, IS HAWKE'S BAY ITSELF. SO THAT IS QUITE SIGNIFICANT. DISPLACED IN THE EAST COAST, AND NORTHLAND AS WELL? WE DO HAVE FIGURES FOR OTHER REGIONS AS WELL. YESTERDAY WAS 2500 WAS THE ROUGH ESTIMATE FOR DISPLACED PEOPLE. I HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED OF ANY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE EAST COAST ON TOP OF WHAT WE ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY. 9000 IS HAWKE'S BAY. ARE WE GETTING 2500 TO THAT? THERE WAS A THOUSAND WITHIN THE 2500 ESTIMATED TO BE IN THE HAWKE'S BAY. YOU CAN THEREFORE TAKE THAT TO BE 10 1/2 THOUSAND. A QUESTION FOR THE DEFENCE MINISTER, WE HAVE PRETTY WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUES WITH PATRICIAN RATES. THEY HAVE DEPLOYED AS MANY PEOPLE AS NEEDED AND AS REQUIRED. THE WAY THEY DEPLOY IS NEMA WHO CONSULTS WITH THEM, THE LOCAL CIVIL DEFENCE FOR RESPONSE. NZ DEF CAN ASSIST. THEY WORK OUT THE EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL TO GO WITH THAT. THEY ARE MEETING REQUESTS SO FAR. THIS IS A BIG DEPLOYMENT BUT THIS IS A BIG DISASTER. ONE OF THE ISSUES WHEN IT COMES TO THE NEED TO ROTATE PERSONNEL OUT? AS I INDICATED YESTERDAY, IN ADDITION TO THOSE WHO ARE DEPLOYED THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED AVAILABLE FOR DEPLOYMENT AS THOSE CURRENTLY IN SERVICE ARE ROTATED OUT. I AND NZ DEF ARE CONFIDENT. HOW LONG ARE YOU EXPECTING THE RESCUE OPERATIONS TO BE CONTINUING? HOW MUCH LONGER ARE PEOPLE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT TO BE RESCUED? GOING ON INFORMATION I HAVE RECEIVED, WE ARE HOPING THE RESCUE PART OF THAT WOULD BE COMPLETED TODAY. OBVIOUSLY AS THE NEED ARISES, WE ACT TO THAT. THERE ARE 12 HELICOPTERS OPERATING IN HAWKE'S BAY ALONE LOOKING TO RESCUE PEOPLE. THERE ARE 25 JOBS OUTSTANDING WITH INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY MEMBERS. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF HELICOPTERS, DOES TAKE A BIT OF TIME DEPENDING ON CIRCUMSTANCES BUT THAT DOES GIVE US CONFIDENCE THEY WILL BE COMPLETED RELATIVELY SOON. 2525 REMAINING TASKS, SO THAT AS INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILY GROUPS THAT REQUIRE RESCUING. THAT MIGHT NOT REQUIRE RESCUING BY AIR BUT THEY ARE NOT IN A POSITION WHERE THEY FEEL SAFE TO BE AT HOME AND HAVE REQUESTED ASSISTANCE. CAN YOU TALK BRIEFLY TO FLOOD ADAPTATION. IN TERMS OF BRINGING SOME OF THE WORK FORWARD WITH GREATER URGENCY. IT WAS ALREADY TREATED AS A PRIORITY. AS YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT THE SORT OF THING THAT GETS POOR ORDER SUPPORT ACROSS POLITICS. TO YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION ABOUT DOESN'T SHARPEN THE MIND, I HOPE SO. WHAT IS IT MEAN WHEN WE ARE THROUGH THIS POINT, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IN TERMS OF THAT WORK, CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND USING THE MOMENTUM THAT THIS MIGHT HAVE CREATED. I'VE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY THE COMMENTS BY OTHER PARTIES HOW THIS NEEDS TO BE TREATED AS A PRIORITY. MY FOCUS IS ON THE RESPONSE. I AM CERTAIN THAT WILL BE A CONVERSATION WE WILL BE HAVING SOON. THERE ARE GOING TO BE TWICE DAILY BRIEFINGS. HERE ARE THE KEY POINTS FROM THAT PRESS CONFERENCE. A BODY HAS BEEN FOUND IN THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING FIREFIGHTER IN MURIWAI ` IDENTIFICATION IS YET TO TAKE PLACE. RESCUES ARE STILL BEING CARRIED OUT BY EMERGENCY SERVICES ACROSS HAWKE'S BAY. AROUND 9000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED IN HAWKE'S BAY. 3000 OF THOSE ARE CURRENTLY IN CIVIL DEFENCE. 250 PERSONNEL FROM ACROSS THE NAVY, ARMY, AND AIR FORCE HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED TO ASSIST FLOOD-DAMAGED AREAS. WE'LL TAKE A QUICK BREAK. COMING UP NEXT ON THIS 1 NEWS SPECIAL ` WE'RE LIVE TO THE HAWKE'S BAY FOR THE LATEST THERE. WELCOME BACK. WHILE MUCH OF THE DAMAGE AND DESTRUCTION HAS BEEN FELT IN THE NORTH ISLAND, THE SOUTH ISLAND IS ALSO ON HIGH ALERT. KATIE STEVENSON IS IN KAIKOURA MONITORING THE SITUATION. KATE, WHAT WARNINGS ARE IN PLACE THERE? AN ORANGE RAIN WARNING REMAINS IN PLACE FOR THIS AREA THROUGH UNTIL MIDNIGHT. METSERVICE IS A FURTHER 90MM OF RAIN COULD FALL ABOUT THE RANGES. FORTUNATELY THOUGH, THERE IS NOTHING MAJOR TO REPORT FROM OVERNIGHT. CONTRACTORS WERE OUT CHECKING THINGS. THERE WERE SOME CONCERNED ABOUT HIGH TIDE, BUT THAT PASSED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THEY ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO BE CAREFUL THOUGH AROUND THE SEA, RIVERS. IN ASKING PEOPLE TO DRIVE CAREFULLY AND CAUTIOUSLY ON THE ROADS TODAY. WHAT DOES THE REST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND NEED TO BE AWARE OF? AND CANTERBURY, THEY ARE UNDER ARANGA WATCH THROUGH UNTIL 5 AM TOMORROW. MISS SERVICE IS THERE WILL BE PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN KIND OF AROUND THE AREA OF THE SOUTH ISLAND, PEOPLE ARE BEING ASKED TO BE CAUTIOUS AS WE SEE THE TAIL END OF THIS CYCLONE. WAKA KOTAHI SAYS THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE TO THE NORTH ISLAND'S ROADING NETWORK. SEVERAL COMMUNITIES REMAIN ISOLATED, AND AUTHORITIES ARE CONCERNED FOR THE TOWN OF WAIROA, WHICH IS COMPLETELY CUT OFF WITH LIMITED FOOD AND WATER RESOURCES. GETTING ACCESS IS ABSOLUTELY KEY, PARTICULARLY TO GISBORNE, TO WAIROA, AND ALL THE COMMUNITIES, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY EVEN INTO THE HAWKE'S BAY. IT'S PRETTY CHALLENGING AT THE MOMENT, SO THE KEY THING IS DETERMINING WHERE BEST TO FOCUS OUR RESOURCE TO GET THAT ACCESS, AND AT LEAST GET FOUR-WHEEL DRIVES SO WE CAN GET SOME OF THE ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES ON THESE VITAL LIFELINES. A LOT OF THE NORTH ISLAND'S BEEN IMPACTED BY THIS WEATHER EVENT, AND EVEN OVERNIGHT, WE SAW THE SORT OF STING IN THE TAIL WHERE IT'S SORT OF COME IN AND IMPACTED SOME HIGHWAYS IN THE MANAWATU AND WHANGANUI REGIONS. SO, A BIG TASK AHEAD FOR OUR TEAMS. WE STILL NEED TO RESTORE ACCESS UP STATE HIGHWAY 1 THROUGH THE BRYNDERWYNS, DOME VALLEY, AND THEN INTO WHANGAREI AND DARGAVILLE, WHERE THE CREWS WILL BE FOCUSING ON THAT. AND ONCE THE SORT OF WEATHER EASES AND THE RAIN SUBSIDES AND THE WATER STARTS TO DISSIPATE, THAT WILL GIVE US A BETTER CHANCE TO GET IN AND AT LEAST RESTORE ACCESS TO THOSE AREAS. THE NEXT AREA IS THE COROMANDEL. AGAIN, BEEN HIT PRETTY HARD. WE KNOW WE'VE SEEN THE DEVASTATION OF STATE HIGHWAY 25A. THAT'S A LONG-TERM FIX, SO OUR FOCUS IS ON 25, YOU KNOW, THAMES, THE COROMANDEL AND AROUND THAT AREA. AND THEN A HUGE JOB, EAST CAPE RIGHT DOWN TO THE CENTRAL HAWKE'S BAY. MASSIVE JOB AND WE KNOW THERE'S SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE COMING THROUGH THERE. WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY GOOD RESOURCES RIGHT ACROSS NEW ZEALAND, SO WE WILL MOUNT FOR THOSE, WELL-COORDINATED, WELL COMMUNICATED. WE'LL PULL THEM TOGETHER. THE KEY THING IS IT'S CHALLENGING WHEN YOU'VE GOT A SINGLE ROAD NETWORK WHERE YOU CAN SORT OF ONLY COME IN FROM EITHER END AND YOU'VE GOT TO WORK YOUR WAY THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES THAT MAY BE FACED. BUT WE'VE GOT THE EXPERTISE. WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE. WE'VE HAD SIMILAR SCALE EVENTS. IF WE LOOK AT KAIKOURA AND HOW WE RESPONDED TO THAT, BUT WE JUST WANT TO FLAG THAT THIS IS NOT A QUICK FIX. SO RESTORING ACCESS IS KEY, BUT THE LONG-TERM FIX IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME. WE HEARD KIERAN MCANULTY SAYING THERE IS A LONG PATH AHEAD. IN THE LAST HOUR, FIRE AND EMERGENCY HAS CONFIRMED A BODY HAS BEEN LOCATED IN MURIWAI, IN THE AREA WHERE THEY WERE SEARCHING FOR A MISSING FIRE FIGHTER. ZION DAYAL JOINS US WITH AN UPDATE. NOT LONG AGO, FIRE AND EMERGENCY DID GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE SEARCH, THE FIREFIGHTER HAD BEEN TRAPPED IN A HOUSE THAT WAS CRUSHED BY A LANDSLIDE. ORIGINALLY TWO FIREFIGHTERS WERE MISSING, ONE HAD BEEN RESCUED BUT REMAINS IN A CRITICAL CONDITION IN HOSPITAL. THEY RESUMED THEIR OPERATION THIS MORNING TO FIND THIS FIREFIGHTER, THEY HAVE LOCATED A BODY IN THE AREA WHILE THEY WERE SEARCHING, AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH POLICE TO RETRIEVE AND IDENTIFY THE BODY. EARLY TODAY, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE SITUATION IS DEVASTATING, AND THE BRIGADE IS REELING. THE SEARCH WAS CALLED OFF OVERNIGHT, AS THE LAND WAS UNSTABLE. BUT THEY HAVE FOUND AND IT WENT INTO FIRE BODY. EVEN THOUGH IT IS A BETTER DAY HERE IN AUCKLAND, A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES THE BLUE SKY. THERE ARE STILL LANDSLIDES, FLOODING IN AREAS LIKE KUMEU, THE SUNLIGHT HAS REVEALED THE TRUE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE THAT THE CYCLONE HAS CAUSED, ON TOP OF THE FLOODS TWO WEEKS AGO. TRANSPORT AROUND THE CITY IS BACK TO NORMAL, THOUGH ON RESTRICTED SCHEDULES, THAT INCLUDES BUSES AND FERRIES. WAKA KOTAHI CHECK FOR ROAD CLOSURES, THE DAYLIGHT REVEALING THE TRUE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE HERE, I'M SURE FOR MANY MORE DAYS AND WEEKS TO COME. WE'LL TAKE A QUICK BREAK. NATIONAL LEADER CHRISTOPHER LUXON IS DUE TO SPEAK SHORTLY. WE'LL HAVE THAT FOR YOU. WELCOME. CYCLONE GABRIELLE HAS CLOSED IN ON THE CHATHAM ISLANDS. MAYOR MONIQUE CROON GAVE US THIS UPDATE. WE HAD GUSTS OF WINDS ABOUT 40 TO 50 KNOTS. AND ALTHOUGH IT WAS FAIRLY EXHILARATING, COS WE LIVE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE ISLAND AND YOU CAN HEAR THAT SEA ROARING. AND SO A FEW TIMES WE DID JUST CHECK TO SEE WHAT THE SEA WAS DOING. BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT OFF FAIRLY LIGHTLY. I THINK THE WIND AND THE SEAS HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY MILD TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. WE'VE HAD MUCH WELCOME RAIN, WHICH HAS` IT'S STILL PRETTY GREY AND DULL AT THE MOMENT WHEN I'M LOOKING OUTSIDE MY WINDOW AND YOU CAN HEAR THE SEA ROARING. BUT CERTAINLY IF YOU COMPARE IT TO CYCLONE PAM, WHICH HIT IN 2015, THIS IS NOTHING. SO FOR US, WE ARE CONSIDERING OURSELVES VERY LUCKY. NO, WE DIDN'T EVACUATE. BUT YESTERDAY AT LUNCHTIME WE GOT A MESSAGE. THE MESSAGE WAS CIRCULATED TO THE COMMUNITY TO GO HOME BY ABOUT 1.30 YESTERDAY, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, AND TO STAY HOME. AND I THINK WE'RE ALLOWED TO START MOVING ABOUT AT MIDDAY TODAY. BUT GIVEN THAT THE CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY MILD, I THINK THINGS WILL RESUME PRETTY QUICKLY FOR US ON THE ISLAND. WE'VE GOT OUR SHIP WHO UNLOADED ON MONDAY THAT'S SITTING WHARF SIDE AND SHELTERING FROM THE STORM. AND WE'VE BEEN ACTUALLY LUCKY ` OUR PLANES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE TO FLY, INCLUDING FLYING IN YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WITH THIS BLUSTERY WIND. SO WE ARE SET UP FOR A HIGH WIND ISLAND. FIRE AND EMERGENCY SAY ITS BEEN TWO WEEKS OF AN INTENSE WORKLOAD FOR THEIR STAFF, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO KEEP THEIR WELFARE AND ABILITY TO RESPOND FRONT OF MIND. AT AN UPDATE EARLIER THIS MORNING ` THEY SAID THERE WERE THREE HUNDRED ROOF TOP RESCUES IN HAWKE'S BAY, BUT DOWNED COMMUNICATION LINKS ARE HINDERING RECOVERY EFFORTS. WE HAVE HAD SOME DIFFICULTIES CONTINUING WITH OUR COMMUNICATION, OF COURSE IT IS NOT JUST FIRE AND EMERGENCY, OUR COMMUNITIES ARE DEEPLY IMPACTED BY THIS AT THE MOMENT. THERE ARE CHALLENGES WITH FULLY ASSESSING THE SITUATION, HOWEVER I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH OUR TEAMS AND HAWKE'S BAY, AND THE STORIES OF RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY INSPIRING. WHILE THERE IS PLENTY OF WORK TO DO, OUR ABILITY TO REPURPOSED RESOURCES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE WARNING WE HAD OF THE STORM, AND OUR ABILITY TO ADAPT TO THE SCENES IN FRONT OF US, HAS BEEN REALLY FANTASTIC IN THIS INCIDENT. AGAIN, OUR CREWS ARE ON THE GROUND, AS DAYLIGHT BREAKS, PARTICULARLY IN HAWKE'S BAY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO GET UPDATES FOR YOU THROUGHOUT THE DAY. NATIONAL LEADER CHRISTOPHER LUXON IS ABOUT TO ADDRESS MEDIA. WE'LL TAKE A LISTEN LIVE NOW. OUR THOUGHTS ARE REALLY WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING IT INCREDIBLY TOUGH ACROSS NEW ZEALAND, THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES, THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DISCONNECTED AND ARE CUT OFF AND STILL DO NOT HAVE CONNECTIONS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD. THE HEROICS WE HAVE SEEN FROM OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. SEEING EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WORKING TIRELESSLY AND ENDLESS LONG HOURS MAKING SURE THING SICK COORDINATOR. IT IS REALLY ENCOURAGING, BUT OBVIOUSLY OUR REAL FOCUS IS ON MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE SAFE, AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE FEEL SUPPORTED, AND THEN WE CAN START THE CLEANUP AND MOVE THROUGH TO THE PHASE OF RECOVERY. HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS. I MANAGED TO GET BACK TO AUCKLAND LATE LAST NIGHT MYSELF, I WAS CONSCIOUS THERE WERE 50 PEOPLE WHO HAD COME IN FROM THE AIRPORT LAST NIGHT, TALKING TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAD COME IN FROM MURIWAI, THEY FELT INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE, BLOWN AWAY BY AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE TRIAGE SYSTEM HERE. AS LONG AS THEY WALK THROUGH THE DOOR HERE THEY FEEL LOVE AND SUPPORT, AS A PLACE OF LOVE, REFUGE AND RELIEF. THEY HAVE BEEN BLOWN AWAY BY THIS, THERE IS A KITCHEN AND FOOD, THEY CAN GO AND SLEEP, AMAZING VOLUNTEERS DOING INCREDIBLE WORK. IT HAS BEEN AWESOME THAT WE HAVE A LARGE FORMAT LIKE THIS, THIS IS WHAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE U.S. IT WORKS INCREDIBLY WELL. AS WE HEAD TO THE RECOVERY PHASE, WE'VE REALLY GOT TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND SAY, LOOK THIS IS A SEVERE WEATHER EVENT CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE. WHAT'S IMPORTANT NOW, GOING FORWARD, WE GOING TO HAVE MULTIPLE GOVERNMENTS OVER MULTIPLE DECADES, THAT NEED TO BE WORK ON THIS DIFFICULT ISSUE, CLIMATE ADAPTATION. THERE NEEDS TO BE A BIPARTISAN EFFORT ACROSS ALL CLINICAL PARTIES. ALL COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE STRUGGLING WITH HOW YOU DO THAT, HOW DO YOU GET THE BALANCE RIGHT BETWEEN INSURERS, INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS, COUNCILS, TAXPAYERS, RATEPAYERS HOW DO YOU FIND THAT STRUCTURE. A GET THAT BALANCE RIGHT. WORKING TOGETHER ON A FRAMEWORK THAT GIVES US A PLATFORM TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD OVER DECADES, STARTING IN THE RECOVERY AFTER THIS EVENT, THEY ARE DIFFERENT BY DIFFERENT REGIONS. WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH THE IMAGES. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DISPLACED IN THE HAWKE'S BAY AND FAR NORTH. WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN AUCKLAND. PROBABLY 1500 HOMES THAT ARE YELLOW OR RED STICKERED. DIFFERENT ISSUES IN DIFFERENT PLACES. IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE GEO GRAPHIC HAZARDS. THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. THIS FACILITY HERE WAS RAISED AND THE DECISION WAS MADE BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THERE WAS A RIVER HERE THAT COULD FLOOD SO IT NEEDED TO BE ELEVATED AND AS A RESULT WE HAVE A EXCELLENT FACILITY TO MANAGE THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. CAN YOU DELIVER THE TAX CUTS? WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS INFLATION ADJUSTING TAX THRESHOLDS, AND IT'S A COMPLETELY REASONABLE THING TO DO TO GIVE PEOPLE MORE MONEY TO NAVIGATE A COST OF LIVING CRISIS. WHAT WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE SURE AS WE DO A PROPER ASSESSMENT OF WHAT THE DAMAGE ACTUALLY IS AND WHAT SUPPORT IS NEEDED, AND WE APPLY THE FUNDS. AND WE ARE PRUDENT AND WE GET THINGS DONE. IT'S IMPORTANT WE DELIVER STUFF. WE DON'T JUST TALK ABOUT STUFF AND WE GET THINGS DONE. PROJECTS ARE ON, OFF, AND THEY NEED TO BE DELIVERED AND THAT IS WHAT I AM FOCUSED ON. WE HAVE A MULTI-DECADE PROGRAM DEALING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND IT IS IMPORTANT WE DEAL WITH A BIPARTISAN WAY WITH A CLEAR FRAMEWORK, BUT WE NEED TO GET THINGS DONE. THAT'S THE FRUSTRATION I SENT SOME PARTS OF NEW ZEALAND. SOME ROADS WE KNOW OUR NOT UP TO USE SCRATCH. LET'S FOCUS FORWARD. THAT'S NATIONAL LEADER CHRISTOPHER LUXON SPEAKING FROM HENDERSON. THIS CYCLONE GABRIELLE SPECIAL CONTINUES AFTER THE BREAK. HAWKE'S BAY HAS BEEN DEVASTATED BY FLOODING FOLLOWING THE CYCLONE. FOR MORE WE'RE JOINED BY NAPIER MAYOR KIRSTEN WISE. GOOD AFTERNOON. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HEAR US. WE HAVE SEEN DEVASTATING IMAGES. HOW ARE THINGS ON THE GROUND? THINGS THIS MORNING HAVE ELEVATED AGAIN FOR US. WE HAVE HAD A STOP THANK BREACH NEAR OUR WATERFRONT WHICH HAS MEANT THE EVACUATION OF ONE OF OUR SUBDIVISIONS. WE ARE ASSESSING WHAT IS LIKELY TO HAPPEN THERE WITH THE FLOODING AND THERE IS MORE THAN LIKELY THERE WILL BE EVACUATION ORDERS. IS ABSOLUTELY ALL HANDS ON DECK AT THE MOMENT. WE KNOW THERE IS 9000 PEOPLE DISPLACED AND HAWKE'S BAY AND 12 HELICOPTERS ON THE GROUND CONTINUING OPERATIONS. HOW VITAL IS IT THAT YOU GET THAT HELP TODAY? ABSOLUTELY VITAL. HERE IN NAPIER, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY CUT OFF FROM THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. WE HAVE ONGOING ISSUES WITH NO POWER, NO CELL PHONE CONNECTIVITY, LIMITED SUPERMARKETS OPEN AND NO PETROL STATIONS. WE ABSOLUTELY NEED A NATIONAL SUPPORT SO THAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THROUGH TO MY DAD SINCE IT HAPPENED. AND MUST BE A DIFFICULT SITUATION THERE. WE ARE DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET MUCH-NEEDED INFORMATION OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY. A LOT IS NOT OPERATIONAL SO WE ARE HEAVILY RELIANT ON RADIO STATIONS. IF THEY HAVE A RADIO AT HOME AND BATTERIES WE WANT PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO NEWS AND IF YOU CAN GET NEWS ON THE RADIO, POP NEXT DOOR TO YOUR NEIGHBOURS AND SHARE THE NEWS THAT YOU ARE HEARING. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE IS GETTING THAT MUCH NEEDED INFORMATION. HOW ARE THE EMERGENCY SHELTERS COPING? ALL OF THEM ARE AT CAPACITY. WE STOOD UP OUR CENTENNIAL EVENTS CENTRE WHICH HAS A CAPACITY OF 500. THAT'S STARTING TO COME UNDER PRESSURE WITH CURRENT EVACUATIONS. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SETTING UP OUR WAR MEMORIAL CENTRE AND HAVE A COUPLE OF FACILITIES ON STANDBY AS WELL. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DAMAGE TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE. IS THE WATER SAFE TO DRINK? OUR DRINKING WATER IS FINE. WE DO HOWEVER HAVE CONCERNS AROUND CONSERVING WATER PARTICULARLY OUR WASTEWATER. WE'RE SAME TO EVERYBODY OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, PLEASE DON'T FLUSH THE TOILET UNLESS YOU NEED TO. IF YOU CAN JUST HAVE SPONGE BATH INSTEAD OF A SHOWER. WE'RE WORKING HARD TO CONSERVE WATER SUPPLY. WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED ON THE GROUND? I THINK WHAT IS GOING TO BECOME VITAL OVER THE NEXT, WELL, TODAY GOING FORWARD AS FOOD AND WATER SUPPLY. WE HAVE LIMITED SUPERMARKETS OPEN AND WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS INTO THE REGION AT THE MOMENT ON THE ROADS TO GET MORE FOOD AND MORE WATER INTO US. WE ARE IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUR NATIONAL PARTIES AND SAYING WE DESPERATELY NEED YOUR SUPPORT AND HOW OTHER COMMUNITIES HOLDING UP? BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH LIMITED COMMUNICATION CHANNELS, IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING. THAT IS THE BIGGEST CONCERN. WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW ALONGSIDE RADIO COVERAGE AS WE HAVE PRINTED HARDCOPY BULLETINS AND HAVE A WHOLE HEAP OF TEAMS GOING DOORKNOCKING, DELIVERING WHAT WE CAN IN PRINTED FORM SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN UNDERSTAND. HOPEFULLY THE INFRASTRUCTURE CAN GET BACK. AS THE LIGHT ON THE HORIZON FOR THAT? WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY INDICATION OF WHEN THAT IS LIKELY TO HAPPEN. IT IS ALL LINKED TO THE POWER OUTAGE. TRANSPOWER IS CURRENTLY TELLING US THAT MAY BE DAYS BEFORE WE GET DAYS BACK. THAT IS REALLY TOUGH DAYS. THAT IS REALLY, REALLY TOUGH. HOW ARE YOU HOLDING UP AS THE MAYOR OF NAPIER? I HAVE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT AROUND ME. WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET OUT AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED. WHERE WILL THOSE PEOPLE GO? WHAT IS THE LONG-TERM PROGNOSIS FOR THEM? WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ASSESSING HOUSES THAT HAD BEEN DAMAGED. HOW LONG PEOPLE MAY BE OUT OF THEM. OUR NOVEMBER 2020 FLOOD ` THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT SCENARIO. THE BULK OF OUR EVACUEES MAY BE A SHORT-TERM SITUATION. WE ARE FORTUNATE HERE THAT WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY PARK MOTOR CAMP THAT WE ARE ABLE TO USE TO HOUSE PEOPLE FOR SIGNIFICANT PERIODS OF TIME AND IF WE NEEDED TO DO THAT AGAIN, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY DO THAT. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US. YOU HAVE A LONG DAY AND DAYS TO COME. THANK YOU HAVING ME ON. COMING UP ` WE'RE LIVE TO PARLIAMENT FOR MORE ON THEIR RESPONSE AND ALSO PRINCESS ANNE'S VISIT THIS MORNING. (DISTORTED MUSIC) (SLAM!) Oh, man, did I tell you? Just the other Friday, I was just` ...partying at Rob Craig's 40th with` ...the boys. With the team. With the missus. We were only knocking back` ...twoooo... ...three` ...cheeky little` ...celebratory` ...frisky` ...sneaky` ...depth chargers. Vinos. Gingers. Doz. Stickies. Brewskies. Darts. You know, spaced` Frisbee golf. Silly juice. Silly juice. Brent's a vegan. You know how it is. Anyhow` Anyway` Anyhow` Might just go wees first. I felt` ...in control. Fine. Pretty sweet. (LAUGHS) Totally` ...compos mentis. I was` ...taking it` ...slow. Stealth as. Pretty chill. Hung a right. Left. Boom. (SIREN WHOOPS) (BRAKES WHINE SOFTLY) SOFTLY: Oh no, no, no, no, no. (BREATHALYSER BEEPS) OK. That is a fail. (SIGHS SOFTLY) (EXHALES SHARPLY) (SCOFFS SOFTLY) RT: We're just gonna go 4Q. WELCOME BACK. PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN SUSPENDED SO POLITICIANS CAN CONCENTRATE ON THEIR RESPONSE TO CYCLONE GABRIELLE. POLITICAL EDITOR JESSICA MUTCH MCKAY IS LIVE FROM PARLIAMENT. JESS, WE HEARD FROM OFFICIALS A SHORT TIME AGO; WHAT LATEST INFORMATION DID THEY PROVIDE? WE JUST HAD A BRIEFING IN THE ROOM NEXT DOOR. THAT WAS FROM THE DEFENCE MINISTER. WHAT THEY ARE SAYING IS THAT THERE IS A LOT GOING ON. AT THE MOMENT WE ARE IN AN ACTIVE STATE OF EMERGENCY. PARTICULARLY AROUND THE HAWKE'S BAY AREA THERE ARE STILL 25 RESPONSES GOING ON AT THE MOMENT TO TRY AND GET IN AND HELP PEOPLE AND GET THEM OUT. WHEN IT COMES TO DISPLACED PEOPLE OR PEOPLE WHO CANNOT STAY AT THEIR HOMES, THERE ARE 9000 AND HAWKE'S BAY ALONE. IN TOTAL THEY THINK THERE ARE ABOUT 10 1/2 THOUSAND PEOPLE DISPLACED BECAUSE OF THE CYCLONE, BUT A BIG CHUNK OF THOSE ARE IN THE HAWKE'S BAY. THE MINISTER DID SAY THEY GOT MORE RAIN THERE THAN EXPECTED AND EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE DEALING WITH IT NOW, THEY WERE CAUGHT BY SURPRISE. THERE ARE THREE OF THE NH 19 HELICOPTERS PERFORMING RESCUES AND WE UNDERSTAND 200 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFF ROOFS AND AS WELL AS FIVE DOGS. THINGS ARE STILL DEVELOPING AND HAPPENING AT THE MOMENT. NATIONAL LEADER CHRISTOPHER LUXON HAS JUST SPOKEN. WHAT DID HE HAVE TO SAY? HE IS IN AUCKLAND AT THE MOMENT. HE IS HELPING WITH THE CLEAN UP THEIR. I THINK ONE OF HIS MESSAGES WAS AROUND KEEPING THE POLITICS OUT OF IT FOR A WHILE. I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WILL REALLY BE NEEDING TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM RATHER THAN A BROILING AND MIXING POLITICS INTO EVERYTHING. THEY ARE HAVING A BREAK NOW UNTIL TUESDAY NEXT WEEK SO THEY CAN GO OUT INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND HELP. I KNOW A LOT OF THE MPS HAVE BEEN HANDS-ON WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES TRYING TO GET THE BASICS, COMMUNICATION, FOOD AND MEDICAL SUPPLY, COMMUNICATING WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHEN PEOPLE NEED HELP. THEY DO PLAY A REAL LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THOSE SITUATIONS. ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS WE JUST HEARD FROM THE MEDIA UPDATE ` I TALKED TO THE MINISTER AND SAID WHAT STUCK WITH YOU ON THE WHOLE 48-HOUR WAS IT HAS BEEN A PRETTY FULL ON TIME. HE SAID AS THEY WERE WALKING DOWN HERE TO THE MEDIA CONFERENCE THEY LEARNED OF THE DEATH OF THAT VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER. HE SAID HOW HARD THAT HITS IN MOMENTS LIKE THAT. HE AND THE DEFENCE MINISTER EXPRESSED THEIR CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY. FOR SOMEONE THAT GOES TO WORK ON A NORMAL WORK DAY AND DOES NOT GO HOME. AND HOW MUCH THEY PAID RESPECTS TO THAT PERSON AS WELL. THEY ARE LEAVING THEIR FAMILY, LEAVING THEIR HOME TO GO AND HELP OTHERS IN THE SITUATION. THAT WAS QUITE A POIGNANT PART OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE THAT WRAPPED UP SHORTLY AGO. AND PRINCESS ANNE HAS BEEN AT PARLIAMENT TODAY. WHAT HAS SHE BEEN UP TO? THIS WAS A PREPLANNED VISIT THAT WAS MONTHS IN THE MAKING. THE PRINCESS ROYAL HAS BEEN HERE AT PARLIAMENT. SHE LIVED ABOUT AN HOUR AGO. INSTEAD OF DOING THE NORMAL PROGRAM THAT WAS PLANNED, SHE MET WITH THE PRIME MINISTER AND HIS OFFICE. THEY RELEASED A FEW PHOTOS OF THAT. THEN SHE CAME DOWN TO THE BUNKER UNDERGROUND HERE AT THE BEEHIVE ENDED A BIT OF A TOY BECAUSE OF THE NATIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY WE ARE IN. WHAT WAS PLANNED FOR HER SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED BECAUSE OF WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH HERE. SHE WILL STILL BE GOING TO LAY A WREATH AT PUKEAHU AS PART OF HER OFFICIAL VISIT. SHE HAS OTHER CONNECTIONS WITH THE AIR FORCE THAT SHE WILL STILL BE DOING. IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A JUGGLING ACT BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS VERY IMPORTANT ROYAL VISITOR AS WELL AS A NATIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY. PROBABLY A FULL SWITCHING OF HATS FOR MINISTERS AND THE PRIME MINISTER HERE TODAY WITH THAT ROYAL VISIT. THANKS. ACCESS TO THE COROMANDEL REMAINS DISRUPTED DUE MAJOR SLIPS AND SURFACE FLOODING. THERE ARE AT LEAST 23 LOCAL ROADS SHUT ALONG WITH FOUR STATE HIGHWAYS, AND A THIRD OF THE COROMANDEL DISTRICT IS STILL WITHOUT POWER. MAYOR LEN SALT SAYS GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN THE DISTRICT'S INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE CRUCIAL TO THEIR ECONOMIC RECOVERY. SO FAR ` CROSS-FINGERS ` I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE'VE HAD NO REPORTS OF INJURIES AND WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE GOT COMING BACK, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE DONE OK. PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET. BUT THE BIGGEST CONCERN THAT WE HAVE AT THE MOMENT ` NUMBER ONE IS ROADING ACCESS, OUR ROADING NETWORK HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY SMASHED. AND THAT IS, OBVIOUSLY, AN ONGOING CONCERN FOR US. FOR US, THIS IS OUR SIXTH MAJOR WEATHER EVENT SINCE NOVEMBER. WE'VE BEEN STORM AFTER STORM, ALL THE WAY THROUGH ALL OF JANUARY, AND OUR DISTRICT, OUR COMMUNITY IS RESILIENT, BUT WE'RE ALSO VERY VULNERABLE TO STORM EVENTS. ACCESS, AS YOU KNOW, STATE HIGHWAY 25A WAS TAKEN OUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND THE COAST ROAD AND THE SOUTHERN ACCESS NOW ARE COMPROMISED, THE TEAMS WILL GET OUT THERE AND FIX THESE FAIRLY QUICKLY, BUT AT THE MOMENT, WE'RE CUT OFF AND WE'RE JUST WORKING TO GET THOSE ACCESSES OPEN UP AGAIN, AND MAKE SURE WE CAN CHECK ON EVERYONE. WE'VE GOT MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, MICHAEL WOOD, COMING IN TODAY. WE'LL BE UP IN A CHOPPER GOING TO VISIT MOST OF THE DISTRICT, AND TO GIVE HIM A REALLY GOOD INSIGHT, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE FACED WITH HERE IS A LONG-TERM` FIRST OF ALL, SHORT-TERM, WE'VE GOT TO GET ACCESS SO THAT WE CAN GET MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND GET THE WHEELS TURNING AGAIN, BUT THEN LONG-TERM, WHAT WE'RE FACING WITH IS A SITUATION WHERE THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF OUR ENTIRE DISTRICT IS STRUGGLING TO COPE WITH THE LONG-TERM RESILIENCE THAT WE NEED ` IF WE DON'T GET LONG-TERM ROADING RESILIENCE INTO OUR NETWORK, SO THAT EVERY TIME THESE EVENTS HAPPEN, WE DON'T HAVE THE WHEELS TURNED OFF, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING WITH THE MINISTER. COROMANDEL ONE OF MANY PLACES CUT OFF TODAY. MOBILE NETWORK TEAMS ARE TRYING TO ESTABLISH CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ` HERE'S THE LATEST. GENERATORS AND BATTERIES ARE BEING USED TO BRING SOME SITES BACK ONLINE. MORE THAN 400 CELL-SITES ARE OFFLINE ACROSS THREE NETWORKS, TWO DEGREES, VODAFONE AND SPARK. THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY IS WORKING WITH PROVIDERS IN GISBORNE TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS IN THE AREA. A SATELLITE LINK IS BEING STOOD UP WHILE WORK IS UNDERWAY. THE DAMAGE FROM CYCLONE GABRIELLE IS ADDING TO THE HUGE ECONOMIC COST OF THE FLOODS TWO WEEKS AGO. JOINING US NOW IS ANZ'S CHIEF ECONOMIST SHARON ZOLLNER, ON JUST HOW BIG THE COST MAY BE. SHARON, WHAT'S YOUR BEST ESTIMATE ON HOW MUCH CYCLONE GABRIELLE SHARON, WHAT'S YOUR BEST ESTIMATE ON HOW MUCH CYCLONE GABRIELLE WILL COST THE ECONOMY? I CANNOT PUT A NUMBER ON IT, BUT IT IS CLEARLY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INSURANCE CLAIMS. THEN THERE IS THE COST OF DISRUPTION, WHICH IS MUCH HARDER TO MEASURE, LOST ECONOMIC TO BODY, THERE IS WILL BE IN EFFECT TO FARMERS, LOGGING, TRANSPORT. IT IS PRETTY WIDESPREAD. WHO WILL BEAR THE BRUNT OF THIS COST THE MOST? IT WILL HAVE TO BE THE TAXPAYER, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE TO STEP UP HERE. OF COURSE THERE IS ISSUES WITH THE GOVERNMENT BAILING OUT UNDERINSURED PEOPLE ` THEY WILL NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TO THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES, BUT IT IS CLEAR THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO HAVE TO GET INVOLVED IN THE COST IS GOING TO BE ENORMOUS. HOW EASY WILL IT BE FOR BUSINESSES TO BOUNCE BACK? THAT IS GOING TO DEPEND ON HOW QUICKLY INFRASTRUCTURE BOUNCES BACK, THE CURRENT TRANSPORT LINKS ARE LOOKING VERY TENUOUS, IF YOU ARE A HOLIDAY OPERATOR IN THE COROMANDEL, IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU ARE READY IF NO ONE CAN GET TO YOU. PLACES MAY NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME IF THEY DO NOT HAVE POWER. HOW WILL THE HUGE COST OF THE REPAIRS IMPACT INFLATION? CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE CURRENTLY CONTRIBUTING A LOT TO INFLATION, IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT TO SAY, WHEN THE CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKES HAPPENED ` THERE WAS A LOT OF CAPACITY AROUND THEN, THAT IS NOT THE CASE NOW. THE RESOURCES ARE PRETTY BUSY AT THE MOMENT, ANOTHER BEING ASKED TO STEP UP, WE WILL PUBLISH YOU MORE INFLATION THERE. FOOD INFLATION WILL LIKELY RISE TO, FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THAT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED WILL ADD TO THAT. IT IS GOING TO BE AN INFLATIONARY EVENT. THE RESERVE BANK WILL BE RELEASING THE LATEST OFFICIAL CASH RATE NEXT WEEK ` WHAT ARE YOU PREDICTING? THERE IS A PRETTY BROAD CONSENSUS THAT THEY WILL RAISE IT, ANOTHER HALF PERCENT. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IT IS SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THEY WERE SIGNALLING IN NOVEMBER, BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD A LITTLE GOOD NEWS ON INFLATION. ON THE OTHER HAND, THIS RISK NOW FROM CONSTRUCTION COSTS, THAT COULD HOLD UP INFLATION A BIT MORE. WE EXPECT THEY WILL STAY PRETTY FIRM, AND DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO GET INFLATION DOWN. WHAT WILL THIS MEAN FOR KIWIS ABILITY TO MAKE ENDS MEET? IT IS ALREADY HARD ENOUGH OUT THERE, WHAT WILL IT MEAN FOR KIWIS? IT IS GOING TO DEPEND A LOT ON IF YOU HAVE A MORTGAGE, ONLY ONE THIRD OF HOUSEHOLDS HAVE A MORTGAGE ` AND AS MORTGAGE RATES RISE, THAT WILL COME AS A SHOCK, PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THEIR LIFESTYLES. FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE MORTGAGES, THE IMPACT IS LESSER. BUT THE RESERVE BANK IS TRYING TO CALL THE ECONOMY DOWN, WHICH IS USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH A LIFT OF UNEMPLOYMENT, WHICH COULD LEAD TO BROADER IMPACTS ON FINANCIAL WELL-BEING. THANKS, SHARON. AFTER THE BREAK, AN UPDATE FROM METSERVICE ON CYCLONE GABRIELLE. We got a new car you have to plug in. It goes for two wee stops. (DOG BARKS) One masterpiece. And four unlucky possums! Five! VOICEOVER: Fast charge on the road and pay like you're at home. With Genesis at charge net stations. WELCOME BACK. WEATHER WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE IN PLACE FOR THE LOWER NORTH ISLAND AND THE WEST COAST. FOR MORE, WE'RE JOINED BY METSERVICE METEOROLOGIST ANGUS HINES. WE NOTE THE CYCLONE IS TRACKING AWAY FROM MANY HARD-HIT PLACES, WHERE OTHER WEATHER WATCHERS NOW? YOU ARE BANG ON THE MONEY VIA, THE CYCLONE IS MOVING FURTHER AND FURTHER EAST EVERY HOUR. ITS IMPACT IS BROADLY SLACKENING. ONE LITTLE REMNANT TONGUE OF MOISTURE, LINGERING OVER THE TOP OF THE SOUTH ISLAND AT THE MOMENT, JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS THE HEAVY RAIN HAS PULLED OUT OVER OPEN WATERS. WE ARE SORT OF EXPECTING MEN TO COME AND GO OVER THAN NORTH-EAST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. WE STILL HAVE WARNINGS IN PLACE FOR PARTS OF MARLBOROUGH AND NORTH CANTERBURY AMONG OTHERS, AND THE VERY SOUTH-EASTERN CORNER OF THE NORTH ISLAND, SUCH AS THE EASTERN PARTS OF WELLINGTON. THERE IS A SEVERE WEATHER WATCH FOR PARTS OF CANTERBURY INCLUDING CHRISTCHURCH FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY, TODAY. FROM WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, HOW CATASTROPHIC HAS THE CYCLONE BEEN FOR NEW ZEALAND? IT HAS BEEN A REMARKABLE, POWERFUL WEATHER EVENT. IT HAS BROUGHT NOT JUST HEAVY RAIN BUT EXCEPTIONAL WIND AS WELL. WE HAVE SEEN REALLY REALLY DAMAGING AND LARGE NUMBERS ` STRONG DAMAGING RAINFALL NUMBERS AT ANY TIME, LET ALONE THAT THE CYCLONE HAS COME ON THE BACK OF SOME INCREDIBLY WET MONTHS. IT HAS REALLY BEEN SATURATED AND SOGGY, AND WE HAVE SEEN WITH DESTRUCTION THAT HAS BEEN CAUSED BY THAT. LOOKING AHEAD, HOW ARE THOSE HARD-HIT AREAS LOOKING, IS IT GOING TO BE DRY? FOR SOME OF THOSE PLACES, THERE IS A MUCH DRIER AND BRIGHTER OUTLOOK ON THE CARDS ` SOME REALLY SUNNY BRIGHT DAYS AHEAD, WITH JUST A COUPLE OF BRIEF SHOWER RISKS. HAWKE'S BAY AND HAS BEEN, THERE IS ANOTHER AREA OF RAIN SLIDING NORTHWARDS THROUGH THOSE REGIONS ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY, SO IT COULD GET WET IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE CLEARING UP IN THOSE PLACES FOR THE WEEKEND. HERE ARE THE KEY POINTS FROM THAT PRESS CONFERENCE. A BODY HAS BEEN FOUND IN THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING FIREFIGHTER IN MURIWAI. IDENTIFICATION IS YET TO TAKE PLACE. RESCUES ARE STILL BEING CARRIED OUT BY EMERGENCY SERVICES ACROSS HAWKE'S BAY. AROUND 9000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED IN HAWKES BAY, 3000 OF THOSE ARE CURRENTLY IN CIVIL DEFENCE. 250 PERSONNEL FROM ACROSS THE NAVY, ARMY, AND AIRFORCE HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED TO ASSIST FLOOD-DAMAGED AREAS. THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS 1 NEWS SPECIAL ON CYCLONE GABRIELLE. HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE 1NEWS.CO.NZ NOW WHERE WE ARE STREAMING THE AUCKLAND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PRESS CONFERENCE. TE KARERE IS HERE AT 4, AND SIMON DALLOW WILL BE WITH YOU FOR MORE SPECIAL COVERAGE AT 5 WITH A LIVE BRIEFING FROM THE PRIME MINISTER. FROM THE TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY SAM BAKER, JORDAN WAETFORD AND SEAN LYDIARD.