CCNZ will be making a submission on The Emergency Management Bill, which has been proposed to replace the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.
The Bill is currently open for submissions on the Parliament website until 3 November.
The Bill is available for review and submissions at: https://bills.parliament.nz/v/6/0d1391e5-198f-44b9-8670-08db66e3a6bf?Tab=sub, and described in more detail on the National Emergency Management Agency website. CCNZ encourages members to make submissions.
Points based on contractor feedback received so far, and experience following the severe weather events of early 2023 include:
- At present, the needs of civil contractors are only indirectly acknowledged in the bill through clients. Yet contractors play a critical role as the people and businesses that hold the equipment and expertise to act as first responders in emergencies. The needs of contractors and the pivotal role they play should be more directly acknowledged.
- The emergency process and initial response must include civil contractors (regionally and via CCNZ nationally) at the outset.
- There should be protected funding to enable contractors to act as first responders without worrying about cost.
- There should be protection from prosecution for contractors acting reasonably as first responders in case of emergency.
- More effective communication plans are needed to co-ordinate disaster response (in Hawke's Bay residents were advised to check the civil defence website for information/updates, but there was no power or internet for days). Clearer plans are needed around how engagement will occur with communities, contractors, first responders, etc.
- More effective mechanisms to debrief after emergency response are needed (too many people, including CCNZ, have been excluded from the debriefing process)
- Outside of the transport response, the Emergency Management System is broken, and there needs to be a complete overhaul of NEMA/Civil Defence.
- The 2023 floods exposed a lack of leadership, direction, prioritisation, preparedness, communication and engagement.
- There is a significant disconnect between decision makers (central government, NEMA leadership), and what is actually happening on the ground.
If you would like to inform CCNZ's submission, please contact your Regional Manager or CCNZ Communications and Advocacy Manager Fraser May.