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Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says a new cabinet committee will help coordinate the central government response and recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle.
The Extreme Weather Recovery Committee will be chaired by the new Cyclone Recovery Minister, Grant Robertson, and his associate minister, Barbara Edmonds, along with the Prime Minister and the Emergency Management Minister, Kieran McAnulty.
Regional lead ministers who will work directly with local councils include Kelvin Davis in Northland, Michael Wood in Auckland and Coromandel, Nanaia Mahuta in Waikato, Minister Kiri Allan in Tairāwhiti and Bay of Plenty, Stuart Nash in Hawke’s Bay and Mr McAnulty in Tararua and Wairarapa.
Carmel Sepuloni, Social Development, Megan Woods, Housing, Willie Jackson, Māori Development and Meka Whaitiri associate Māori Development will also bring their portfolios to the table.
Mr Hipkins says a key lesson from the Christchurch earthquakes was the importance of local knowledge and input into decision-making.
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