Emergency management and other systems reform

Following the Kaikōura earthquake in 2016 and the Port Hills fire in 2017, an independent review of New Zealand's response to disasters was undertaken. This was released in early 2018, and the Government responded to the review in August 2018 with a significant range of actions to improve New Zealand's emergency management system.

In 2019, a new National Emergency Management Agency was formed to lead the improvement and changes to New Zealand's emergency management system. There are more key changes coming in the next 12 months:

• A new Act that will replace the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 and amendments.
• A new National Plan and Guide that will replace the existing Plan and Guide from 2015.
• A new delivery roadmap for the National Disaster Resilience Strategy.

There are other system reforms taking place that will impact on how we manage risk, and undertake emergency management. These include:

• Resource Management System Reform – this covers the management of natural hazards, the built environment, and managed retreat from hazards
• Three Waters Reform Programme – critical infrastructure operated by local authorities including drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater networks
• The Future for Local Government review – the resilience, sustainability, and confidence of local government, and
• Climate change – the completion of climate change risk assessments, and the development of action plans.

Collectively these reforms represent significant changes in how we operate, and will require us to develop a new Group Plan. We are already planning to start a new Group Plan in the second half of 2023, once the new Emergency Management Act is enacted.