--- title: "PF155 · Captured AI answers" publisher: "Onsomble Limited" publication: "NZBrands.ai" edition: 1 collected_on: "2026-10-05" html_url: "https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/questions/c8bd20cc-0524-4152-b20f-1b6d66939b4b/" --- # PF155 · Captured AI answers Edition 1 · answers collected 5 October 2026. [Read on NZBrands.ai](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/questions/c8bd20cc-0524-4152-b20f-1b6d66939b4b/) ## Question We own a home on the Heretaunga Plains in Hawke's Bay and have school-age children. Flood risk, insurance and the cost of protecting our home are major concerns for us. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Which Hawke's Bay flood-protection works are already funded or underway, and which are still future options or election promises? Who is responsible for delivering each? Question ID: c8bd20cc-0524-4152-b20f-1b6d66939b4b. Report reference: PF155. Issue: Infrastructure and local services. Voter: Hawke’s Bay — homeowner concerned about flooding. [Source record (JSON)](https://nzbrands.ai/data/nz-election-2026/editions/1/answers/c8bd20cc-0524-4152-b20f-1b6d66939b4b.json) ## How to read this evidence The answers below are shown as the assistants gave them, not a verified account or NZBrands.ai voting advice. They may contain errors or outdated claims. A recorded source association is not necessarily a link shown to the reader. Captured 5 October 2026. 8 answers were saved for this question. Missing answers have not been filled in. [Study methodology and limitations](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/method.md) ## ChatGPT · asked nationally Answer ID: efc86ba4-3561-489a-b005-9e88b1ceeb1d. Captured 5 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** For a homeowner on the Heretaunga Plains, the key distinction is between: 1. **Work that has secured funding and is being delivered now or has been completed** 2. **Work that has planning/design work done but still needs future funding decisions** 3. **Ideas, options, or election commitments that depend on a future government or council decision** The main delivery body for flood protection on the Heretaunga Plains is the **Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC)**, with central government often contributing funding after major events such as Cyclone Gabrielle. [Resilient River Communities | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Funded, underway, or completed | Project | Status | Who delivers it? | Funding position | |---|---|---|---| | **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme (HPFCS) recovery and resilience works** | Ongoing programme | HBRC | Funded through a mix of HBRC funding and central-government recovery/infrastructure funds. [Resilient River Communities | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **Clive River erosion protection** | Completed | HBRC | Kānoa Regional Economic Development Unit funding supported construction; HBRC delivered the work. Physical works were completed in 2025. [Resilient River Communities | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **Taradale stopbank upgrade** | Completed | HBRC | Completed before Cyclone Gabrielle; upgraded to a 1-in-500-year design level. [Resilient River Communities | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **Ōhiti Road / Ōmāhu flood resilience project** | Completed | HBRC with partners | Post-Gabrielle community flood resilience project; included stopbanks/bunds, road raising, drainage and erosion works. [Ōmāhu flood project reaches the finish line | News Archive | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2038/mhu-flood-resilience-project-reaches-the-finish?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **Pākōwhai flood resilience works** | Under construction | HBRC | Construction began in 2026, with completion forecast for 2027. [Pākōwhai | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/pakowhai/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **Other post-Gabrielle Category 2 community projects (including Havelock North, Pōrangahau and Whirinaki)** | Various stages of construction/planning | HBRC | Part of the regional recovery programme. [Ōmāhu flood project reaches the finish line | News Archive | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2038/mhu-flood-resilience-project-reaches-the-finish?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | The broader HPFCS protects much of the low-lying Heretaunga Plains, including parts of Hastings, Flaxmere, Havelock North and Napier, covering about 39,000 hectares and around 138,000 people. [Resilient River Communities | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Planned upgrades: identified, but not fully built or fully funded HBRC has identified a number of HPFCS locations for future upgrades aimed at moving protection toward a higher resilience standard (often discussed as a 1-in-500-year flood level, with climate-change considerations). These are not equivalent to a completed construction commitment. [Resilient River Communities | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Examples include: | Location/project | Current position | Delivery responsibility | |---|---|---| | Moteo stopbank | Detailed design stage identified | HBRC | | Omaranui stopbank | Detailed design stage identified | HBRC | | East Clive stopbank | Consent stage identified | HBRC | | Raupare Upper and Lower stopbanks | Detailed design stage identified | HBRC | | Chesterhope Upper stopbank | Detailed design stage identified | HBRC | | Brookfields Lower stopbank | Detailed design stage identified | HBRC | | Pākōwhai Park stopbank | Detailed design stage identified (separate from the community works now underway) | HBRC | [Resilient River Communities | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) The important point for a homeowner is that **design work or consent preparation does not necessarily mean construction funding has been approved**. HBRC has said scheme reviews and future investment decisions will depend on choices about acceptable risk, affordability, climate impacts and community priorities. [Hawke's Bay Regional Council Three-Year Plan 2024-2027](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Document-Library/Plans/Annual-Plans-and-LT-Plans/Long-Term-Plan-2024-2027/HBRC-Three-Year-Plan-2024-2027.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Election promises or future policy choices As of the information available, the main unresolved questions for the 2026 election are not whether Hawke’s Bay needs flood protection, but: - **How much additional protection should be built?** - **Who pays — central government, regional rates, councils, or some combination?** - **What level of risk reduction should residents expect?** - **Whether to fund large-scale upgrades beyond already committed recovery projects** Those decisions are future policy choices rather than existing construction contracts. HBRC’s own planning documents note that major scheme reviews are intended to inform future investment decisions. [Hawke's Bay Regional Council Three-Year Plan 2024-2027](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Document-Library/Plans/Annual-Plans-and-LT-Plans/Long-Term-Plan-2024-2027/HBRC-Three-Year-Plan-2024-2027.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Who is responsible for what? ### Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) Responsible for: - designing, consenting, operating and maintaining regional flood-control schemes; - stopbanks, river control structures, erosion protection and drainage infrastructure; - deciding regional flood-protection priorities and rate funding. [Hawke's Bay Regional Council Three-Year Plan 2024-2027](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Document-Library/Plans/Annual-Plans-and-LT-Plans/Long-Term-Plan-2024-2027/HBRC-Three-Year-Plan-2024-2027.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### Central government Responsible for: - providing national recovery funding and co-funding packages; - setting national policy and legislative settings; - making decisions on future Crown investment. [Hawke's Bay flood protection works | Ministry for the Environment](https://environment.govt.nz/acts-and-regulations/orders-in-council/hawkes-bay-flood-works/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### Territorial councils (for example Hastings District Council and Napier City Council) Generally responsible for: - local roads, stormwater and community infrastructure; - working with HBRC on recovery and resilience projects. ## Questions worth asking candidates in 2026 For a Heretaunga Plains homeowner concerned about insurance and property protection, useful questions are: 1. **Will you support funding the next stage of HPFCS upgrades after current recovery works finish?** 2. **What level of flood protection should existing homes be guaranteed, and over what timeframe?** 3. **How should costs be divided between taxpayers and Hawke’s Bay ratepayers?** 4. **Will you support faster delivery of already-designed stopbank upgrades?** 5. **How will flood-risk information affect insurance availability and housing decisions?** One caveat: flood protection is a moving programme after Cyclone Gabrielle. A project described as “planned” today can move into construction after funding, consent and procurement decisions are completed, while some proposed upgrades may change after scheme reviews. [Hawke's Bay Regional Council Three-Year Plan 2024-2027](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Document-Library/Plans/Annual-Plans-and-LT-Plans/Long-Term-Plan-2024-2027/HBRC-Three-Year-Plan-2024-2027.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **End captured answer** ## ChatGPT · asked from Hastings Answer ID: 61fde42f-1da0-4115-ba00-b56503121372. Captured 5 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** For a homeowner on the Heretaunga Plains, the key distinction is between **money that is already committed to a named project** and **the much larger question of what protection the region will build after the current recovery programme**. As of **4 October 2026**, the picture is fairly clear. ## 1. What is already funded and being delivered The main programme is the **North Island Weather Event (NIWE) flood-resilience programme**. In Hawke's Bay it is about **$256.5 million: $209 million central-government funding and $47.5 million from Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC)**. HBRC is the principal delivery agency for the regional flood works; the funding is administered through National Infrastructure Funding and Financing. [Restoring Flood Resilience | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### Heretaunga Plains projects | Project | Status in Oct. 2026 | Who delivers it? | Funding status | |---|---|---|---| | **Pākōwhai flood-resilience network** | **Under construction**, with earthworks in several sections; completion targeted around mid-2027 | **HBRC**; construction contract awarded to Hick Bros Civil Construction | **Committed** under NIWE; about $18.2m construction contract awarded [Pākōwhai | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/pakowhai/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **Ōmāhu / Chesterhope Upper stopbank** | **Construction underway** since September 2026; about 3 km being raised/widened | **HBRC**; Galbraith Earthmovers | **Committed** under NIWE; roughly 75% Crown / 25% HBRC [Construction underway on Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade | Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/omahu-upgrade/article/2055/construction-underway-on-mhu-stopbank-upgrade?s=14&t=featured&utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **Brookfields Lower stopbank / Awatoto** | **Enabling works underway**, main construction expected October 2026–April 2027 | **HBRC**; Goodman Contracting | **Committed** under NIWE; roughly 75% Crown / 25% HBRC [Brookfields Lower stopbank upgrade | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/brookfields-lower/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **Ōhiti Road–Ōmāhu** | **Main construction complete**, final reinstatement/snagging underway | **HBRC**; CHB Earthmovers | **Completed/committed** NIWE project; $10m project [Ōhiti Road | Ōmāhu | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/ohiti-road-omahu/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **Awatoto pump station** | Consent granted in August; project moving through delivery preparations | **HBRC** | **Committed**, part of the NIWE pump-station programme [Pump Stations | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/pump-stations/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **Pākōwhai pump station** | Planning/consenting and enabling work underway | **HBRC** | **Committed**, part of NIWE programme [Pump Stations | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/pump-stations/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **Regional flood/rainfall telemetry** | Rollout underway, with completion expected by late 2026 | **HBRC** | **Committed** programme component [Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | Waiohiki | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds?s=4&t=featured&utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **Havelock North/Mangarau** | Physical mitigation programme underway; 42 properties were moved from Category 2C to Category 1 in 2025 | **Hastings District Council (HDC)** owns/manages the relevant stormwater assets; HBRC administers the Crown recovery funding contribution | **Committed**; HBRC borrowed $2.49m to unlock $7.51m Crown funding for HDC's work [HBRC-Annual-Plan-2025-2026-WEB](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Document-Library/Plans/Annual-Plans-and-LT-Plans/Annual-Plan-2025-26/Annual-Plan-2025-2026.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | There are also NIWE projects elsewhere in Hawke's Bay—**Waiohiki, Whirinaki, Pōrangahau and Wairoa**—but those aren't the principal flood-defence projects affecting a typical Heretaunga Plains property. HBRC says all the major NIWE construction projects are intended to have begun by the end of 2026 and be substantially complete by mid-2027. [Restoring Flood Resilience | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### One important qualification about "funded" Funding doesn't mean every possible future upgrade of the Heretaunga scheme has been paid for. For example, the earlier $20m Kānoa/Regional Infrastructure Fund programme for the Heretaunga Plains was **substantially converted into planning and enabling work**, rather than funding the wholesale construction of a 1-in-500-year system. HBRC specifically says construction of several resulting designs is expected to be **future separate upgrade work**. [Meeting of the Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://hawkesbay.infocouncil.biz/Open/2025/09/RC_24092025_AGN_AT.PDF?utm_source=chatgpt.com) So I would **not** interpret the old $20m programme as "the Heretaunga Plains is now funded for a complete 1-in-500-year upgrade." --- ## 2. The big future works are *not yet decided* This is probably the most important fact for your voting question. HBRC has just completed its **Reimagining Flood Resilience** process for the Heretaunga Plains and Upper Tukituki schemes. In August 2026 the Council explicitly said: > **"no decisions have yet been made on future flood protection options."** Those decisions are intended to go through the **2027–2037 HBRC Long Term Plan**, with public consultation next year. [Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | Home | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/home/article/2030/community-feedback-helps-shape-the-future-of-regions-flood-resilience?s=1&t=featured&utm_source=chatgpt.com) The future-options work includes consideration of the existing Heretaunga scheme as a whole—not simply the individual NIWE projects already contracted. HBRC's earlier programme identified potential **1-in-500-year** upgrades at: - Moteo stopbank - Omaranui stopbank - East Clive stopbank - Raupare Upper and Lower stopbanks - Chesterhope Upper - Brookfields Lower - Pākōwhai Park But HBRC says these were advanced to design/consenting stages and that **construction would be separate future works**. [Resilient River Communities | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) That distinction matters. **Brookfields Lower and Chesterhope Upper have subsequently moved into actual NIWE construction**, so those two should now be regarded as committed projects rather than merely future options. The others should not automatically be treated as funded construction projects. --- ## 3. What remains a political/funding decision There are really **three different layers** to the future debate. ### A. Whether to expand the existing hard-engineering protection The current Heretaunga Plains scheme is predominantly designed around stopbanks, river channels, drainage and pumping. The scheme currently protects roughly **39,000 hectares and around 127,000–138,000 people**, depending on the particular HBRC measure. [Major Schemes | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/major-schemes/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) The unresolved question is how far to take it beyond the works already funded: for example, whether additional stopbanks should be raised/strengthened toward a higher level of service, and where. **That requires future HBRC decisions and future rates/capital funding. It isn't already funded simply because an option appears in an engineering report.** [Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | Home | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/home/article/2030/community-feedback-helps-shape-the-future-of-regions-flood-resilience?s=1&t=featured&utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### B. What the desired level of protection should be Historically, HBRC has considered moving significant parts of the scheme from approximately **1% annual-exceedance probability (1-in-100)** protection toward **0.2% AEP (1-in-500)** protection. Taradale, for example, was actually upgraded to the latter standard and completed in 2022. [Te Rautaki Hanganga](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Document-Library/Plans/Annual-Plans-and-LT-Plans/Long-Term-Plan-2024-2027/HBRC-Infrastructure-Strategy-2024-2027.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com) But **a 1-in-500 standard does not mean "safe from a one-in-500-year flood."** It is a statistical design standard, and Cyclone Gabrielle demonstrated why the Council is reconsidering assumptions about river behaviour, climate change, freeboard and residual risk. ### C. Who should pay This is likely to be a major issue for homeowners. The current NIWE projects have substantial Crown funding. But HBRC's **next-generation flood strategy is not yet accompanied by an equivalent Crown commitment**. The Council says the 2027–37 Long Term Plan will need to work through the investment level and the associated affordability/cost trade-offs. [Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | Home | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/home/article/2030/community-feedback-helps-shape-the-future-of-regions-flood-resilience?s=1&t=featured&utm_source=chatgpt.com) In other words, **don't treat a politician saying "we need stronger flood protection" as equivalent to an appropriation or a contracted project**. --- ## 4. What the 2026 election changes—and what it doesn't The election is being held on **7 November 2026**, so there is an important timing issue: the current NIWE projects are already government-funded programmes rather than promises that depend on the election result. [New Zealand Parliament dissolved ahead of tight November vote](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/new-zealand-parliament-dissolved-ahead-tight-november-vote-2026-10-01/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) For your purposes, I'd divide political claims into three categories: **Already locked in:** Pākōwhai, Ōmāhu/Chesterhope Upper, Brookfields Lower, Ōhiti Road, the relevant pump-station/telemetry programme and the other contracted NIWE projects. These have existing funding arrangements and delivery responsibility. [Restoring Flood Resilience | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Future council decisions:** The broader redesign/strengthening of the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme. HBRC has expressly said these options have **not yet been decided** and are being taken into the 2027–37 Long Term Plan. [Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | Home | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/home/article/2030/community-feedback-helps-shape-the-future-of-regions-flood-resilience?s=1&t=featured&utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Election promises:** Any proposal by a political party to add Crown money, accelerate additional stopbanks, change the funding split, establish a new national flood-protection fund, or otherwise commit central-government money beyond the existing NIWE programme should be treated as a **new political commitment**, unless it points to an actual appropriation, Cabinet decision or existing funding agreement. I found that National's published 2026 policy programme is available, but its headline policy list does **not presently identify a separate Heretaunga Plains flood-protection commitment**. [2026 Election Policy | National Party](https://www.national.org.nz/policies?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Labour's published 2026 policy page likewise does not presently identify a specific Heretaunga Plains flood-defence funding commitment. [Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/our-policies/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) The Greens have criticised the Government's flood-protection spending record, but that is different from an identified, funded Heretaunga Plains construction programme. [Luxon's Government cut flood protection spending while extreme weather worsens - Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand](https://www.greens.org.nz/_luxon_s_government_cut_flood_protection_spending_while_extreme_weather_worsens?utm_source=chatgpt.com) So I would be cautious about campaign statements along the lines of **"we will flood-proof Hawke's Bay"** unless they specify **how much money, which projects, who delivers them, and when the money is appropriated**. --- ## 5. Who is actually responsible? For a Heretaunga Plains homeowner, the institutional map is roughly: - **Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC):** the key organisation. It owns/manages the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme, stopbanks, river-management works and major drainage/pumping infrastructure, and is delivering most of the NIWE flood projects. [Major Schemes | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/major-schemes/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - **Hastings District Council (HDC):** responsible for Havelock North's local stormwater/stream infrastructure, including the Mangarau programme. [2c recategorisation programme | Hastings District Council](https://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/services/water/stormwater/hndamsstreams/2c-programme/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - **Central Government:** provides the Crown funding for the NIWE projects and sets the national legislative/funding framework; it does **not** itself operate the Heretaunga stopbank network. [Restoring Flood Resilience | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - **Contractors:** build particular projects under contracts let by the responsible council. They aren't the agencies responsible for deciding the overall flood-protection standard. - **HBRC ratepayers:** ultimately fund the HBRC share of capital and ongoing operation/maintenance through rates. The future cost allocation is therefore an important part of the 2027–37 debate. [Smaller Flood Scheme reviews | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/smaller-flood-scheme-reviews/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Bottom line for your situation If I were reducing this to a **voter's checklist**, I'd ask every candidate/party making a flood promise four questions: 1. **Is the money already appropriated, or is this a promise to find money after the election?** 2. **Which specific Heretaunga Plains projects does the money cover?** 3. **Is the Crown paying, or will HBRC ratepayers/property owners pay a substantial share?** 4. **What protection standard are they actually promising—and what residual risk remains in a Gabrielle-scale event?** The current evidence says **a substantial amount of construction is genuinely locked in and happening**, particularly Pākōwhai, Ōmāhu/Chesterhope Upper and Brookfields/Awatoto. But **the larger question of what the Heretaunga Plains flood-control system should look like in the 2030s, and who should pay for it, remains unresolved** and is heading into HBRC's 2027–37 Long Term Plan rather than being an already-funded construction programme. [Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | Home | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/home/article/2030/community-feedback-helps-shape-the-future-of-regions-flood-resilience?s=1&t=featured&utm_source=chatgpt.com) If you tell me roughly **which part of the Heretaunga Plains your home is in (e.g. Twyford, Pākōwhai, Bridge Pa, Taradale, Meeanee/Awatoto, Havelock North, Clive/Haumoana)**, I can take this one step further and map the **specific flood scheme, current protection standard, projects affecting that area, likely ratepayer contribution, and what each major 2026 party is actually proposing**—without telling you how to vote. **End captured answer** ## Gemini · asked nationally Answer ID: 664857f1-fdb8-410f-b4d1-b722f5d8802e. Captured 5 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** For homeowners on the Heretaunga Plains in Hawke's Bay with school-age children, navigating flood risk, insurance, and protection costs is a critical issue. Major flood-protection infrastructure and resilience initiatives across Hawke's Bay are categorised below by their current status—differentiating between what is funded/underway and what remains part of future strategy, long-term reviews, or wider regional conversations. --- ### Funded and Underway Infrastructure Works As part of the post-Cyclone Gabrielle recovery plan ("Restoring Flood Resilience"), a series of major infrastructure repair and upgrade projects are actively underway: * **Pākōwhai Flood Resilience Project:** * **Status:** Underway (main construction started in mid-2026, targeted for completion around July 2027). * **Details:** A major $50 million project designed to meet a 1% Annual Exceedance Probability (1% AEP) standard. It includes 8.5 kilometres of stopbanks and sheet pile flood walls, a 500-metre stream realignment behind the Pākōwhai War Memorial Hall, and a 230-metre spillway along the Tūtaekurī-Waimate Stream and Waiohiki Drain. * **Responsible Delivery Agency:** Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC), alongside contracted civil construction partners (such as Hick Bros). * **Ōmāhu Stopbank Upgrade:** * **Status:** Construction underway (announced active as of late 2026). * **Details:** Raising and widening the Ōmāhu stopbank to reinforce regional flood defences. * **Responsible Delivery Agency:** Hawke's Bay Regional Council. * **Brookfields Lower Stopbank Upgrade (Awatoto area):** * **Status:** Upgrade works beginning/underway (as of late 2026). * **Details:** Targeted stopbank improvements to bring greater flood protection to the Awatoto area. * **Responsible Delivery Agency:** Hawke's Bay Regional Council. * **Wider Regional Infrastructure Repairs (Ōhiti Road / Ōmāhu, Waiohiki, Whirinaki):** * **Status:** Staged infrastructure repair projects rolling out over a 4 to 5-year post-cyclone window. * **Responsible Delivery Agency:** Hawke's Bay Regional Council. * **Network Pump Station Upgrades & Telemetry Upgrades:** * **Status:** Jointly funded and rolling out across the region. * **Details:** Upgrading the network of drainage pump stations and modernizing telemetry equipment/communications at key sites to improve monitoring capabilities and immediate response resilience. * **Responsible Delivery Agency:** Hawke's Bay Regional Council in collaboration with local territorial authorities (such as Hastings District Council and Napier City Council). --- ### Future Options, Scheme Reviews, and Long-Term Strategy Rather than immediate construction, broader system-wide adaptations and long-term planning are currently being shaped through structured community and regional reviews: * **"Reimagining Flood Resilience" (Heretaunga Plains & Upper Tukituki Scheme Reviews):** * **Status:** Ongoing strategy and community review phase. * **Details:** A comprehensive review of the two major regional flood schemes (including the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme) to determine how best to mitigate future risks, keep protection costs manageable for ratepayers, and adapt to climate change. Community representative groups and mana whenua are actively shaping these future options. * **Responsible Delivery Agency:** Hawke's Bay Regional Council, working alongside local communities, mana whenua, and technical experts. * **Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy 2120:** * **Status:** Long-term planning phase for the coastlines spanning the most populated stretches of Hawke's Bay. * **Responsible Delivery Agency:** Jointly led by local councils (HBRC, Napier City Council, Hastings District Council), mana whenua, and coastal communities. * **Evacuation Trigger Levels & Flood Forecasting Dashboards:** * **Status:** Implementation and community testing phase. * **Details:** Developing operational tools like the flood forecasting dashboard and community-specific evacuation trigger levels to manage safety during extreme weather events. * **Responsible Delivery Agency:** Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) jointly with local councils and HBRC. --- ### Funding Context Many of these recovery and upgrade works draw heavily on a mix of **Central Government post-cyclone recovery funding/co-investment** alongside regional council funding (sourced via targeted rates and regional management plans). Because ongoing protection costs and regional rating impacts directly affect household affordability, the future scope of un-funded or longer-term options heavily relies on upcoming central government policy settings, regional co-funding agreements, and local government prioritisation. *How do you weigh the balance between central government co-funding support and local council rates when deciding which candidate or party aligns with your household's financial and safety priorities?* **End captured answer** ## Gemini · asked from Hastings Answer ID: 3c296bde-a25e-416a-bc17-47ebc8b18b3f. Captured 5 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** For homeowners on the Heretaunga Plains with school-age children, navigating flood risk, skyrocketing insurance premiums, and local protection costs is a central issue heading into the 2026 general election. Flood protection across Hawke's Bay is split between immediate post-Cyclone Gabrielle recovery projects (which are heavily funded and currently underway), regional scheme upgrades, and longer-term adaptation plans that remain subject to future funding, policy decisions, and political commitments. --- ### 1. Funded and Underway (Post-Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery & Scheme Upgrades) These projects have secured financial backing—primarily through a mix of central government co-funding (such as the Resilient River Communities programme) and Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC) rates—and physical construction or detailed design is actively happening. * **Ōmāhu Stopbank Upgrade:** * **Scope:** Upgrading a 3.2 km section of stopbank along the true left of the Ngaruroro River (from Taihape Road to Korokipo Road) to meet best-practice design standards and restore/improve level-of-service. * **Status:** Enabling works and initial site establishment are underway. * **Funding & Delivery:** Led by **Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC)**. Approximately 75% is funded by Central Government, with the remaining ~25% funded by HBRC through regional rates. * **Brookfields Lower & Awatoto Stopbank Works:** * **Scope:** Stopbank and flood resilience upgrades targeting the Awatoto and Brookfields areas heavily impacted by silt and inundation during Cyclone Gabrielle. * **Status:** Construction works rolling out through 2026. * **Funding & Delivery:** Delivered by **HBRC** with central government post-cyclone co-funding. * **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme (HPFCS) Resilience Tranches:** * **Scope:** Ongoing repairs, asset improvements, and capacity enhancements across the wider Heretaunga Plains network (spanning the Tūtaekurī, Ngaruroro, and Clive rivers). * **Status:** Multi-year rolling programme extending post-2025/2026. * **Funding & Delivery:** Managed by **HBRC** in partnership with local territorial authorities (Hastings District Council and Napier City Council) and central funding streams. --- ### 2. Future Options, Regional Planning & Policy Debates (The Election Context) While urgent stopbank repairs are underway, larger systemic questions around long-term climate adaptation, managed retreat, and who pays for future multi-million-dollar defenses are still evolving policy spaces in the 2026 election cycle. * **Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy 2120:** * **Scope:** A long-term strategy addressing coastal erosion and flooding risks along the Hawke's Bay coastline over the next century. * **Status:** Extensive community engagement and consultation on preferred options and affordability are ongoing. It is not yet a fully funded, locked-in construction schedule. * **Funding & Delivery:** A joint initiative between **Hawke's Bay Regional Council, Hastings District Council, and Napier City Council**. Delivering it will require massive capital investment, forcing debate on central-versus-local cost sharing. * **Wider Regional Climate Adaptation & Property Categorisation Legacies:** * **Scope:** Funding property-level protection, regional drainage network overhauls, and deciding long-term land-use capability for flood-prone rural and residential zones across the plains. * **Status:** Ongoing policy friction. Local councils have continuously warned that regional rating bases alone cannot bear the cost of future climate-proofing infrastructure without a sustainable, long-term national funding partnership with Central Government. --- ### Who is Responsible for Delivery? * **Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC):** Statutory responsibility for regional rivers, flood control schemes, major stopbanks, and gravel extraction. * **Territorial Authorities (Hastings District Council & Napier City Council):** Responsible for local stormwater networks, land-use planning, zoning, and local roading networks that interact with regional flood schemes. * **Central Government:** Acts as a major co-funder through post-disaster funding packages and resilience programmes. Whether future governments institutionalize a permanent national adaptation fund or co-investment framework for regional flood protection is a key point of distinction between political parties in the 2026 election. **End captured answer** ## Google AI Mode · asked nationally Answer ID: 6f16ad42-dc83-4669-823f-28239a213ed8. Captured 5 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** For residents and families on the Heretaunga Plains, navigating flood protection, skyrocketing insurance costs, and future safety is a central issue. A massive program of recovery and resilience work is currently underway across _Hawke's Bay_ , backed by a mix of central government funding and local regional contributions. The division between what is funded/underway, what remains a future strategic option, and who is responsible for delivery clarifies the landscape: 1\. Funded and Underway (Active Construction & Recovery Works) The bulk of current physical work falls under the **North Island Weather Event (NIWE) resilience programme** , backed by a $256.5 million investment ($209 million from central government via National Infrastructure Funding and Financing [NIFF], and $47.5 million from the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council) alongside Level of Service upgrades. * * **Pākōwhai Stopbank Upgrades & Land Categorisation Removal**: Major construction is actively advancing, which has already allowed properties (such as in parts of Pākōwhai) to have their high-risk Category 2C classifications lifted. * **Ōhiti Road / Ōmāhu Mitigation & Stopbank Upgrades**: Construction is underway to rebuild and heighten local protection, which has similarly enabled risk categories to be lifted for clusters of nearby homes. * **Waiohiki , Whirinaki, and Awatoto/Brookfields Lower Stopbanks**: Strengthening, raising, and repairing stopbanks along the Tutaekuri and Ngaruroro river systems to restore and improve pre-Cyclone Gabrielle protection levels. * **Havelock North Flood Resilience Works** : Localized stormwater and mitigation improvements. [Hawke's Bay Regional Council] * **Telemetry and Early Warning Upgrades** : Installing more resilient live river-level and rainfall monitoring sensors across the catchments. [Hawke's Bay Regional Council] * **Who is responsible for delivery?** The **Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC)** is the lead delivery agency for major regional river and stopbank schemes, partnering with central government funding agencies (like Kānoa and NIFF), while specific local council partners like **Hastings District Council** manage urban/associated stormwater interfaces (such as in _Havelock North_). * * * * 2\. Future Options (Long-Term Planning & Strategic Choices) Beyond the immediate post-Cyclone Gabrielle recovery projects, long-term regional adaptation is still in the planning and scoping phase. * * **Reimagining Flood Resilience Project** : A comprehensive, year-long collaborative project (reporting finalized mid-2026) that gathered community, mana whenua, and engineering input. It outlines long-term strategic choices for the Heretaunga Plains and Upper Tukituki flood schemes—addressing how to protect 84% of the region's residents against intensifying climate impacts over coming decades. * **Land-use planning, managed retreat frameworks, and catchments/gravel management strategies** : Determining how much higher stopbanks can realistically go versus transitioning vulnerable low-lying areas or altering rural drainage paths. * **Who is responsible for delivery?** **Hawke's Bay Regional Council** , in ongoing partnership with local territorial authorities (Napier City Council, Hastings District Council), mana whenua, and central government policy frameworks. * * * * 3\. Election Promises & Policy Proposals Ahead of the 2026 general election, political parties are framing their approaches to regional infrastructure, climate adaptation funding, and insurance sustainability: * * **National/Government Infrastructure Funding** : Current policy centers on co-funding mechanisms via regional infrastructure funds (like the Regional Infrastructure Fund and NIFF) where central government provides capital grants contingent on regional co-contributions, leaving regional councils on the hook for cost overruns. * **Opposition/Alternative Party Proposals** : Frequently focus on whether central government should shoulder a higher percentage (or 100%) of major climate adaptation and stopbank fortification costs for regions like Hawke's Bay, rather than relying heavily on regional ratepayer bases. Proposals also target national-level levers to address escalating insurance retreat and risk-based premium spikes. * **Who is responsible for delivery?** If elected or enacted, central government departments would provide the funding policy framework and financial transfers, but execution would still be delegated down to local authorities (**HBRC** and district councils). * Would you like to explore **how the regional council rates breakdown affects local households** , or look into **what specific political parties are promising** regarding central government co-funding for Hawke's Bay adaptation? **End captured answer** ## Google AI Mode · asked from Hastings Answer ID: a214b35d-b5c2-4c78-8f16-cbe0f9b18d88. Captured 5 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** Navigating flood risk, skyrocketing insurance premiums, and local body rates is a daily reality for Heretaunga Plains and _Hawke's Bay_ families. As you weigh your vote in the 2026 general election, understanding who holds the purse strings, who does the digging, and where current financial commitments end is vital. * * * **Funded and Underway: The $257M Regional Flood Resilience Programme** The baseline of current major construction is a **$257 million** co-funded flood resilience and recovery package. This is financed via approximately **$209 million** from Central Government (post-Cyclone Gabrielle funding packages) and **$48 million** via [Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/) (HBRC) regional ratepayers. The explicit goal of this underway package is to restore and upgrade protection across vulnerable areas (such as specific Category 2C zones) to a 1-in-100-year standard by mid-2027. [NZ Herald] * * **Waiohiki Stopbank Upgrade** : Nearly $9 million project focused on rebuilding and strengthening the Waiohiki area stopbanks. _(Delivered by**Hawke's Bay Regional Council**)_ Restoring Flood Resilience | Hawke's Bay Regional Council * **Ōhiti Road / Omāhu, Pākōwhai, Whirinaki, and Havelock North Works**: Stopbank reconstructions, asset repairs, and drainage/pump station improvements across Heretaunga sub-catchments. _(Delivered primarily by**Hawke's Bay Regional Council** , with localized components like _Havelock North_ managed via **Hastings District Council**)_ [Hawke's Bay Regional Council] * **Upgraded Telemetry and Monitoring Systems** : Installing enhanced, climate-resilient river and rainfall monitoring networks. _(Delivered by**Hawke's Bay Regional Council**)_ [Hawke's Bay Regional Council] * **Who is responsible for delivery?** * * **Primary Delivery Agent** : The Hawke's Bay Regional Council manages the regional rivers, major drainage schemes, and flood-control infrastructure. [Hawke's Bay Regional Council] * **Local/District Integration** : The [Hastings District Council](https://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/) coordinates local urban stormwater, specific community resilience projects (e.g., _Havelock North_), and land-use/consenting intersections. [Hawke's Bay Regional Council] * * * * **Future Options, Limits, and Election Context** A hard economic reality check highlighted by local leaders and regional councilors is that **none of the current $257 million package is engineered to fully hold back an extreme, unprecedented catastrophic event** akin to the hills-origin torrents of Cyclone Gabrielle. Moving beyond a 1-in-100-year standard toward "gold-plated" 1-in-250-year or 1-in-500-year protection is heavily constrained by regional affordability. * * **The Ratepayer vs. Central Funding Gap** : Pushing past current regional limits risks maxing out local authority borrowing capacities and driving up regional rates significantly. Future heavy-duty protection for low-lying agricultural pockets or expanding residential corridors (like Meeanee, Pakowhai, or parts of Napier/Hastings fringes) depends entirely on whether national political parties commit to ongoing, multi-year central infrastructure subsidies in their 2026 manifestos. * **Property-Level Adaptation and Category Decisions** : Long-term decisions regarding high-risk zones (such as managing residual risk for properties outside buyout tracks) remain an evolving policy space between central government guidelines, local council district plans, and individual household mitigation options. [NZ Herald] * * * * If you'd like to narrow this down for your voting decision, let me know: * * Are you more concerned with **central government policy/funding promises** or **local council rating impacts**? * Do you live in a specific part of the Heretaunga Plains (e.g., **Pākōwhai, Twyford, Hastings urban**)? * I can provide further detail on how different political or council strategies address those specific areas. **End captured answer** ## Google AI Overviews · asked nationally Answer ID: f3895ecb-9012-4a30-8a7d-e95ff406693b. Captured 5 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** As you head into the **2026 New Zealand general election** , flood protection, regional infrastructure funding, and climate adaptation are major battlegrounds for voters on the Heretaunga Plains. Following the devastating impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle, substantial regional investments have progressed. The following breakdown outlines which Hawke's Bay flood-protection projects are actively underway or completed, what remains as a future option, and who holds the responsibility for delivering them. * * * 1\. Already Funded & Underway (or Completed) A **$257 million package** co-funded by **Central Government's North Island Weather Events (NIWE) program (75%)** and the **Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC) (25%)** is currently rolling out. These projects are specifically designed to upgrade infrastructure, lowering the risk profile for local properties. Project / Infrastructure Area| Status & Progress (as of 2026)| Responsible Delivery Agency ---|---|--- **Waiohiki Stopbank**| **Completed.** Built under budget at less than $9 million, completing crucial stopbank and stream diversion work.| [Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC)](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz) **Ōhiti Road / Ōmāhu**| **Main construction complete** as of late 2025/early 2026, delivering 2.1km of upgraded stopbanks and raised roadways.| HBRC **Pākōwhai Flood Resilience**| **Active construction.** Involves building an 8.5km network of stopbanks, bridge works, and stream realignments, which successfully removed dozens of local homes from Category 2C risk.| HBRC **Whirinaki & Awatoto Upgrades**| **Active construction.** Stopbank upgrades, industrial protection works, and road-raising are underway to secure residential and commercial zones.| HBRC **Havelock North 2C Resilience**| **Funded and underway** as part of the broader regional resilience package.| **Hastings District Council** **Pump Station & Telemetry Upgrades**| **Underway.** Upgrading physical drainage pumps and live telemetry sensors to ensure real-time river level data is reliable during storms.| HBRC **Wairoa & Pōrangahau**| **Active construction.** While outside the Heretaunga Plains, these major stopbank networks are fully funded and targeting completion.| HBRC (Wairoa works managed alongside a Crown Manager) * * * 2\. Future Options & Election Year Decisions While the immediate post-Gabrielle repairs are funded, the _long-term_ level of protection for the Heretaunga Plains remains an open debate that will be heavily influenced by central government policy after the 2026 election. * **"Reimagining Flood Resilience" Scheme Changes:** In mid-2026, the Hawke's Bay Regional Council concluded a year-long community consultation to evaluate long-term options for the **Heretaunga Plains and Upper Tukituki flood protection schemes**. Moving from current temporary fixes to a permanent "1-in-100-year plus climate change" standard across the entire basin requires structural funding not yet secured. * **The Flood Protection Bylaw:** Slated for public consultation in late 2026, this upcoming regulatory tool will give the local council greater powers to manage and protect stopbank infrastructure from private encroachment or damage. * **Central Government Political Promises:** For the 2026 election, a primary debate lies between political parties regarding the funding mechanism for local infrastructure. * _The National-led Government_ focuses on infrastructure funding through mechanisms like the National Infrastructure Agency and targeted fast-track approvals. * _Opposition parties (Labour/Greens)_ are campaigning on larger centralized climate adaptation funds, co-investment frameworks for managed retreat, and direct Crown financing to ensure rising insurance premiums do not make the plains uninsurable. How this affects your vote Because **HBRC** controls regional rates and engineering execution, your local regional council votes dictate _how_ the works are maintained. However, because local councils cannot afford multi-billion-dollar climate adaptations alone, your **general election party vote** determines the size of the central government co-investment pool available to lower your local property risk and stabilize insurance premiums. If you want to look closer at a specific project or area, let me know: * Which **specific community or river asset** (e.g., _Tūtaekurī_ , _Ngaruroro_ , _Clive River_) your home sits closest to? * Whether your main concern is **rising insurance premiums** or the **physical engineering height** of the stopbanks? **End captured answer** ## Google AI Overviews · asked from Hastings Answer ID: 69df5d91-ee23-4265-8f01-e4d61b9c394c. Captured 5 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** As a homeowner on the Heretaunga Plains with school-age children, your concerns about flood risk, insurance premiums, and future costs are shared by many across the region. Navigating local infrastructure delivery and central government election promises is a smart way to inform your vote for the **2026 New Zealand general election**. The delivery of flood protection in Hawke's Bay is split into work that is **fully funded and currently underway** (primarily post-Cyclone Gabrielle recovery) versus **long-term future options and structural election debates**. The breakdown of these works and the authorities responsible for delivering them are detailed below. * * * 🏗️ Fully Funded & Underway (The $257M NIWE Programme) Following Cyclone Gabrielle, a combined **$257 million** flood resilience package was agreed upon. Central Government (via the North Island Weather Events / NIWE programme) is funding **$209 million** , with the Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC) contributing the remaining **$48 million**. These projects are actively under construction or near completion, meaning they are already locked into local budgets regardless of the 2026 election outcome. * **Pākōwhai Flood Resilience Infrastructure:** A major **$50 million** project to construct an 8.5km network of upgraded and new stopbanks designed to meet a 1-in-100-year flood standard. Main construction is actively advancing through 2026 and early 2027. * _Status:_ **Underway**. As a result of this active construction, 73 properties recently had their high-risk "Category 2C" designations successfully removed. * _Responsibility:_ Delivered by the Hawke's Bay Regional Council. * ** _Ōhiti Road | Omāhu_ :** Construction of 2.1km of stopbanks and bunds along the Ohiwia Stream, alongside road raising on Ōhiti and Taihape Roads. * _Status:_ **Underway** ; expected completion is mid-to-late 2026. * _Responsibility:_ Delivered by HBRC using local earthmovers. * ** _Havelock North Streams_ :** Urban stream flood mitigation specifically covering areas previously designated as Category 2C. * _Status:_ **Underway** / final planning tranches. * _Responsibility:_ This specific project is being delivered directly by the Hastings District Council (HDC). * **Region-Wide Telemetry & Pump Station Upgrades:** Overhauling rain and water-level sensor networks to create real-time publicly accessible flood dashboards. * _Status:_ **Underway** ; finalizing installation by late 2026. * _Responsibility:_ Hawke's Bay Regional Council. * **Waiohiki Stopbank :** * _Status:_ **Completed** under budget in mid-2026. * _Responsibility:_ Managed and now maintained by HBRC. * * * 🗳️ Future Options, Election Promises & Policy Debates Engineering everything required to completely safeguard the Heretaunga Plains against future intensified weather could cost up to **$600 million**. Funding this entirely through local property rates would nearly double household rates billings. Therefore, the remaining flood-protection layout is heavily dependent on **Central Government funding structures** —making it a core 2026 election issue. * **The "Reimagining Flood Resilience" Structural Upgrades:** Following the _Hawke’s Bay Independent Flood Review_ , HBRC completed community consultations regarding what heightened level of permanent flood protection the Heretaunga Plains should build for future generations. * _The Debate:_ Local councils are looking to the 2026 general election for political parties willing to commit to **National Infrastructure funding partnerships** to build these multi-hundred-million-dollar schemes without crushing local ratepayers. * _Responsibility:_ Policy direction is set by HBRC via the upcoming 2027–2037 Long Term Plan, but physical execution requires Central Government co-investment. * **Inland vs. Coastal Protection Priorities:** There is an active political friction regarding where money should be spent. Coastal communities (e.g., _Haumoana_ , Te Awanga, Clifton) are lobbying for equal financial support for sea-surge and coastal erosion barriers, while primary infrastructure focus remains heavy on inland river catchments. * _The Position:_ Parties on the campaign trail will likely address how they intend to handle the "Managed Retreat" or protection framework for coastal areas, which heavily impacts insurance availability. * **Restrictions on Low-Lying Developments:** An ongoing local political fight surrounds the _Hastings and Napier Future Development Strategy (FDS)_ , with community groups aggressively contesting proposals to build future housing developments over low-lying, flood-prone sections of the fertile Heretaunga Plains. * _Responsibility:_ Jointly managed by Hastings District Council and Napier City Council. Political parties' positions on the _National Policy Statement on Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL)_ will directly dictate how easily councils can build or must protect these spaces. Summary of Responsibilities Protection Level / Project| Responsible Entity| Funding Source ---|---|--- **Current Stopbank Upgrades** (_Pākōwhai_ , Ōmāhu)| Hawke's Bay Regional Council| 80% Central Gov (NIWE) / 20% Local Rates **Urban Stream Management** (Havelock North)| Hastings District Council| Central Gov (NIWE) / District Council **Future Major Engineering ($600M+)**| Regional Council Policy| **Unfunded** ; Dependent on 2026 Election Policy **Zoning & Plain Growth Restrictions**| District & City Councils| Local Strategy / National Policy Framework When assessing candidates for the 2026 election, asking about their specific policy on **Co-funding Regional Climate and Infrastructure Resilience Schemes** will give you the clearest indicator of how they plan to help protect your home's equity, manage your long-term rate demands, and stabilize the local insurance market. If you would like to look closer at a specific area, let me know **which part of the Heretaunga Plains** your home is in, or if you want to see the details of a **specific political party's infrastructure policy**! **End captured answer** ## Publication and corrections Published and funded by Onsomble Limited. NZBrands.ai takes no view on any party or policy. [Independence](https://nzbrands.ai/about/independence/) · [Corrections](https://nzbrands.ai/about/corrections/) · [Contact](https://nzbrands.ai/about/contact/)