February 10, 2023
Auckland Māori directorate fast in flood response
The head of Auckland Council’s Māori outcomes directorate, Ngā Mātārae, acknowledges communication failings during last week’s floods.
Herewini Te Koha says council has a list of concerns to address once things have returned to normal.
In the meantime a big mihi has to go out to marae and Māori urban communities who stepped up during the crisis.
He says that’s one area where the council was able to support Māori communities.
One of the things we were fortunate to have in place, before the disaster of the floods, Auckland Council had a Māori lead within that command structure. That was the first time that’s happened for our council anyway.
Herewini Te Koha says his team was able to check-in immediately with marae and the wider Māori community sector, giving them a clear way to contact the council and ensuring resources could go where they were most needed.