# PF155: 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? Collected 19 October 2026 [NZ Election 2026 · Edition 4 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: 59de459f-49b1-4626-ac6e-bc2858f8c678 # Hawke’s Bay flood protection: what is funded, what is still a promise? For a homeowner on the Heretaunga Plains with school-age children, I would separate the flood-protection debate into three questions: what has money committed to it, what is actually being built, and what further protection is still being investigated or promised? As of 19 October 2026, there is already a substantial, funded programme of flood-protection works in Hawke’s Bay. But it is important not to confuse that programme with a comprehensive upgrade of the entire Heretaunga Plains flood scheme. The key distinction is that the current recovery programme is building specific stopbanks, pump-station upgrades and other defences, while the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) is also examining how the region’s much larger flood-protection system should change over the longer term. [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/) ## 1. The money already committed # $209m Central government North Island Weather Event (NIWE) flood-resilience programme Government funding for the programme is managed through National Infrastructure Funding and Financing. It covers several major Hawke’s Bay projects, not just the Heretaunga Plains. # $47.5m HBRC Regional Council contribution HBRC's contribution brings the published programme budget to approximately $256.5 million. For most projects, the funding split is about 75% central government and 25% HBRC. These are programme-wide figures, not money available for any individual homeowner or for every proposed future stopbank. Wairoa's separate $70 million allocation is fully Crown-funded. [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds) ## 2. Funded projects: what is built or being delivered? The following are the most relevant works for the Heretaunga Plains and nearby communities. The status is based on HBRC's project updates available in October 2026. ![Waiohiki stopbank complete in major flood resilience milestone | Waiohiki | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/OYy9xgwBIXNMSECF0_D7c5tJNypCosKm-Et_qdz3lfn43pj8P5FyYbwy5eCD8MzJPlzQxBYOqzlA2RTjRnbnvPczBVl_rrHpF1zSW8akLPVzxeafnwgY2uRu_6SRygkCtmFkkhmKAC4iuuqAr8VnLPgXA7SWCsL3FNfFIsm3Kbg?purpose=inline) Completed Waiohiki stopbank A new 1.035 km stopbank, stream realignment, culverts, floodgates and drainage improvements. The project was completed in May 2026. - Funding: $10 million; central government and HBRC. - Delivery: HBRC, working with contractors and mana whenua. Source: [Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/) ![Flood risk category lifted for Ōhiti Road homes as project nears completion | News & Media | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/P5W8SQXtCfjiHSdyBMPecYnCS3UsPc0exeqPy9SvHyNgc8cEzofs6qSok_6ibm5E7pmnGvOWsrd6iA-HpN5b4FVQOudvTE4TPd2Dp11q9lwzlkpGqH217uGruu1-otRvxr8Os6R7HzdW1XwaqaIC5cvlVACthlX0jsxPCBY3pbs?purpose=inline) Main works completed Ōhiti Road–Ōmāhu flood resilience New and upgraded stopbanks and bunds alongside Ohiwia Stream, together with road raising, drainage and erosion protection. Main construction was completed in August 2026. - Funding: $10 million project under the joint government–HBRC programme. - Delivery: HBRC; contractors included CHB Earthmovers and Fulton Hogan for the respective earthworks and road-raising work. Source: [Ōmāhu flood project reaches the finish line | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2038/mhu-flood-resilience-project-reaches-the-finish)[Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds) ![Making Room for Rivers | Forest and Bird](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/trbQtxhyGlu7zPqpAKLp7tkZmrGF7WQyTY3P_k9MfvnFcIfDJsRI9B_Wkb8Cx7hTIl89ZdQlEp7owu-F2-_9oP8JVxDB8PrYVMcG4hfRBVICCPfgxj385ex6wFkVV_yDchtXLMTDBW8B9LfkIsvqDtUYlVoYMHBvhp7JgeTD8I4?purpose=inline) Under construction Pākōwhai flood-resilience network An 8.5 km network of new and strengthened stopbanks and flood walls, stream realignment and a spillway. It provides a second line of defence if existing river stopbanks are overwhelmed. - Funding: Approximately $50 million, jointly funded by central government and HBRC. - Delivery: HBRC; Hick Bros Civil Construction has the construction contract. - Target completion: July 2027. This is one of the most substantial works in the programme for the wider plains area. Source: [Pākōwhai](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/pakowhai/)[Progress for Pākōwhai: Homes cleared from Category 2C as protection works advance | Whirinaki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/whirinaki/article/2021/progress-for-pkwhai-homes-cleared-from-category-2c-as-protection-works-advance?s=5&t=featured)[GETS | Hawke's Bay Regional Council - HBRC Pākōwhai Northern Stopbank Flood Mitigation Tender](https://www.gets.govt.nz/HBRC/ExternalTenderDetails.htm?id=33123557) ![Brookfields Lower stopbank upgrade | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/e7s0reNZzlq-IuXpri2dyPGnACay4HVg1tcpGHbPQpzyUnvi9XhNEF0Ut7JCHIIbPvBsC6UfB1EqAnRfyAZLbshneB0rOp9aurbjSeqYSfyLqKPY0jwtbG61d1Hhbb6tbK_ZBmayW5xbUV9bLy0fX2yHr4_1MeRAIhucNnkaEyk?purpose=inline) Enabling works underway Brookfields Lower stopbank, Awatoto About 3.6 km of stopbank is being raised and strengthened to meet updated regional standards, following serious flooding and a stopbank breach during Cyclone Gabrielle. - Funding: NIWE programme, with central government and HBRC contributions. - Delivery: HBRC; Goodmans is the construction contractor. - Expected main construction: October 2026 to April 2027. Source: [Brookfields Lower stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/brookfields-lower/) ![Regional Council launches pump station upgrade programme | News & Media | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/CWy_naZ8tZbO6R6QaSr90pVkSewC8xNT9ur1ez2VGyyot61GAi_MnBLCofovXBvfHR00MS0W9YOk0jd5MzKCL6Z-gApF0bG2tBRlNb_PLW-RwY2RtXoQpT6KCn7OfOBnUX25tj0U8s-uThyk1f4R0swHUQ2ZnXmLEsedKtDalWQ?purpose=inline) Funded programme Pākōwhai and Awatoto pump stations Major pump-station upgrades are intended to improve the management of water behind flood defences, an important part of reducing flooding when heavy rain falls on the plains. - Funding: NIWE programme. - Delivery: HBRC, with Brian Perry Civil awarded the design-and-build contract. The upgrades complement stopbanks; they do not replace the need for adequate river capacity or drainage. Source: [Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds) ### Other funded projects across the region The same recovery programme also includes: - Havelock North: flood-resilience works delivered by Hastings District Council, rather than HBRC. - Whirinaki: residential and industrial flood defences and associated State Highway 2 road-raising works. - Pōrangahau: a separate community flood-resilience project. - Waipawa stopbank: an upgrade under the regional programme. - Telemetry upgrades: improved river-level and rainfall monitoring to support flood warnings and decisions. - Wairoa: a separate $70 million Crown-funded flood-mitigation project. These projects are funded or formally within the programme, but their construction stages and completion dates differ. They should not all be described as completed. [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds)[Pōrangahau](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/porangahau/)[Whirinaki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/whirinaki/) ## 3. What is still a future option rather than a funded construction project? This is arguably the most important part of your question. The existing construction programme is not the same as a decision to rebuild the entire Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme to a higher standard. HBRC's major flood scheme review, called Reimagining Flood Resilience, reached a significant milestone in July 2026. Its community findings were presented to councillors on 29 July. HBRC explicitly says that no decisions have yet been made on the future flood-protection options. The next decisions are expected through its 2027–2037 Long Term Plan, with public consultation planned for 2027. [Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | Home](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/home/article/2030/community-feedback-helps-shape-the-future-of-regions-flood-resilience?s=1&t=featured) Here is how to distinguish the different categories of work. | Work or proposal | Status as at October 2026 | Who is responsible? | | --- | --- | --- | | Raising the overall protection standard of the Heretaunga Plains scheme | Under review; no region-wide upgrade decision yet | HBRC, with central government and community input | | Moteo and Omaranui stopbanks | Earlier detailed-design work identified; not thereby funded for construction | HBRC | | Raupare Upper and Lower stopbanks | Earlier detailed-design work identified; future construction requires decisions and funding | HBRC | | Chesterhope Upper stopbank | Earlier detailed-design work identified; future construction requires decisions and funding | HBRC | | East Clive stopbank | Earlier consenting work identified; not proof of a funded construction contract | HBRC | | Pākōwhai Park stopbank | Earlier detailed-design work identified; distinguish this from the separate Pākōwhai NIWE project now being built | HBRC | | Further major flood-resilience investment after the current programme | Options to be developed and considered through the next Long Term Plan | HBRC, with potential central-government involvement | These locations were identified in HBRC's earlier Resilient River Communities programme. That programme funded planning and enabling work at several sites, but HBRC described their construction as separate future upgrades. Some have since been incorporated into other programmes or may be reconsidered as part of the wider scheme review, so their individual status needs to be checked before treating them as unfunded or abandoned. [Resilient River Communities](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/)[Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | Home](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/home/article/2030/community-feedback-helps-shape-the-future-of-regions-flood-resilience?s=1&t=featured) ### What about election promises? For the 2026 general election, I would not count a party's pledge to improve flood resilience as funded infrastructure unless it identifies a specific allocation, delivery agency and project timetable. The material I could verify establishes the existing government–HBRC programme and the Regional Council's future planning process. It does not establish a new, fully costed national election commitment to construct the wider Heretaunga Plains scheme upgrades listed above. That distinction matters: an election promise to provide more flood protection might lead to future funding, but it is not the same as an appropriation, a signed construction contract or an approved regional investment decision. ## 4. Who actually pays, delivers and makes the decisions? For your household, there are three separate layers of responsibility. ![Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme - Hawke's Bay | Resilient River Communities](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/xcI_lhlLaHvS3diGpS56f3bG_c7Dyp0CVKuoE1JQmV7xF2Dvb3ewdorJG1oKdBgB3Q5R00eeIVKc3IdJHzXMXugSGgVn8OvMe0GGrDHRKpZkaiHDbyYeJYC5HfdWrWIuhRqfN5gC4GZpSY8ZyUNMjh3phEMzVtyKciJkJWLu-VU?purpose=inline) Hawke's Bay Regional Council The main regional flood-protection authority. HBRC manages the Heretaunga Plains scheme, maintains river and stopbank infrastructure, delivers the NIWE projects and develops the longer-term options and regional rates decisions. ![New Government Procurement Rules proposed: Submissions sought](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/hhLsXEYUjBexrXLkQogUCvJUS3OfmssF8u83QP-YqVk9L2xXN0LVsuknKnqdRJ8Y9UKY6H3BxxAHhJO-QCBDUumWhs-nctOmKIcSZ7L454uCAZvvdoh1e6k6RfxyNEHxU0yMWvVa8PqtghmH--kEavrAwBAYDAGEKLL2on9njQs?purpose=inline) Central government Has already committed substantial money to the NIWE recovery programme. A future government could influence further investment, funding rules and national policy, but additional spending needs an actual decision rather than a campaign statement. ![Hastings council to review building consents activity | News | Hastings District Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/eMrXVVug3K8dmdGKmTOcwLTq5guCblqZlTXix2c1se4TRLphffkGHuukg5BbTp3e0AyhTOZEooW9vdKxu8PYkVACCJbvXGiQJE7N4VWX4pV_oB2rE0UTvf2dmwZXcF2YbA50k-tvmmovdHdFcfuAA-DzVRZrJDwMh7UzSJUGL_w?purpose=inline) Hastings District Council and other local authorities District and city councils have responsibilities for local infrastructure, land-use planning, emergency management and relevant consenting. Hastings District Council is specifically responsible for delivering the Havelock North project within the NIWE programme; HBRC is the lead delivery authority for the regional flood scheme works. Sources: [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Hawke's Bay flood protection works](https://environment.govt.nz/acts-and-regulations/orders-in-council/hawkes-bay-flood-works/)[Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | Home](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/home/article/2030/community-feedback-helps-shape-the-future-of-regions-flood-resilience?s=1&t=featured) ### The cost to ratepayers Even where central government pays most of the construction cost, HBRC says ongoing maintenance is funded through regional targeted and general rates. The Waiohiki project, for example, has maintenance funded through those rates, with any increases shared across the wider Heretaunga Plains catchment. [Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/) For any future upgrade, I would want to know: - How much of the capital cost central government would pay, and whether that contribution is guaranteed. - How much HBRC would borrow or fund through rates. - Whether the proposed level of protection would justify the ongoing maintenance and renewal costs. - Whether the upgrade shifts floodwater or increases flood levels elsewhere, rather than simply protecting one area. Those are legitimate election issues because a project can be funded initially while still creating long-term costs for households. ## 5. What protection standard are these works designed to provide? One important caution when comparing promises is that the current programme does not guarantee that homes will be safe in every conceivable flood. The Pākōwhai network, for example, is designed around a flood event with a 1% annual exceedance probability (AEP), using post-Cyclone Gabrielle modelling, with additional freeboard and a spillway to help manage water in larger events. A 1% AEP event has a 1% chance of being exceeded in any given year; it does not mean such a flood happens only once every 100 years. [Pākōwhai](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/pakowhai/)[Brookfields Lower stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/brookfields-lower/) HBRC's wider review is looking at the future of the Heretaunga Plains and Upper Tukituki schemes, including how flood risks can be reduced while keeping costs manageable. The current scheme's standard and any future upgrade must therefore be considered separately from the protection supplied by individual new stopbanks. For your home, the relevant question is not simply whether a nearby stopbank is being raised. It is whether your property benefits from that specific work, what flood scenario it is designed for, and what residual risk remains from overtopping, breaches, surface water, drainage or other pathways. ## 6. How I would use this information when deciding how to vote I would assess candidates and parties against five practical tests: 1. Delivery: Will they protect the funding and completion timetable for the projects already under construction? 2. The next stage: Do they support a defined process for deciding which additional Heretaunga Plains upgrades should proceed, and by when? 3. Funding fairness: What is their position on central-government contributions versus regional rates and borrowing? 4. Evidence: Will they publish the expected protection standard, residual risk and consequences for neighbouring properties for each major project? 5. Household consequences: What will they do about flood-risk information, insurance affordability and the financial burden on families living in affected areas? For the most useful comparison, ask candidates to name a project, a funding amount, a delivery authority and a deadline. A general commitment to “make Hawke’s Bay safer from flooding” is much less informative. ### The bottom line Hawke’s Bay is already spending hundreds of millions of dollars on flood resilience, and several significant projects are completed or under construction. However, the bigger question of how the entire Heretaunga Plains flood-protection system should be upgraded remains open. HBRC's next Long Term Plan process is the key regional decision point for those longer-term options. Before making a decision about your own home's protection or insurance, I would check the current flood-hazard information for your property and the exact scope of any nearby works. Neither the existence of a funded project nor a change in a property's risk classification should be taken as a guarantee against future flooding. The primary sources to follow are HBRC's [Restoring Flood Resilience programme](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) and its [Reducing Flood Risk consultation](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/?utm_source=chatgpt.com), where project updates and the next round of long-term planning information are published. ## ChatGPT Answer ID: eb5e19b7-b27e-469b-abb3-8f7022a6600f # Hawke’s Bay flood protection: what is funded, what is being built, and what is still undecided? Information checked as at 18 October 2026 · Heretaunga Plains, Hastings, Hawke’s Bay For your family, the important distinction is between money already committed to specific flood-protection works, projects that are actually being constructed, and larger improvements that are still being considered. These are different stages of government and council decision-making, and they have different implications for flood risk, insurance and future rates. The clearest picture from the available council and government information is: - A substantial recovery programme is funded and being delivered. The North Island Weather Events (NIWE) programme covers new stopbanks, bunds, pump-station upgrades and other flood-resilience infrastructure across Hawke’s Bay. - Some projects are already complete, including the new Waiohiki stopbank and the Ōhiti Road–Ōmāhu flood-resilience works. - Longer-term protection for the Heretaunga Plains remains a separate decision. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) is reviewing the region’s major flood-control schemes to determine what further investment is needed, what it would cost and who should pay. - A proposal or an announced funding allocation is not the same as a completed defence. Even a completed stopbank reduces risk rather than eliminating it. [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Ōmāhu flood project reaches the finish line | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2038/mhu-flood-resilience-project-reaches-the-finish)[Waiohiki stopbank complete in major flood resilience milestone | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/1989/waiohiki-stopbank-complete-in-major-flood-resilience-milestone)[Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/) ## 1. The funded programme: what is happening now? The main post-Cyclone Gabrielle flood-resilience programme is a joint Crown–regional council investment. HBRC’s current programme information puts the total at approximately $256.5 million, comprising $209 million in central-government funding and $47.5 million from the Regional Council. Some earlier announcements used different programme totals, so it is worth checking which funding package a political claim refers to. [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds?s=3&t=featured) ![Waiohiki stopbank complete in major flood resilience milestone | Waiohiki | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/OYy9xgwBIXNMSECF0_D7c5tJNypCosKm-Et_qdz3lfn43pj8P5FyYbwy5eCD8MzJPlzQxBYOqzlA2RTjRnbnvPczBVl_rrHpF1zSW8akLPVzxeafnwgY2uRu_6SRygkCtmFkkhmKAC4iuuqAr8VnLPgXA7SWCsL3FNfFIsm3Kbg?purpose=inline) ### Waiohiki stopbank Completed A new one-kilometre stopbank beside the Tūtaekurī River was completed in May 2026. It was designed to a 1% annual exceedance probability (AEP) standard, commonly called the one-in-100-year design standard. HBRC reported that 45 properties previously classified as Category 2C moved to Category 1. Responsible: Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, with construction contractors and community partners. [Waiohiki stopbank complete in major flood resilience milestone | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/1989/waiohiki-stopbank-complete-in-major-flood-resilience-milestone) ![Ōhiti Road | Ōmāhu | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/zVKGv9WFDV6WBoIkUqBarzFkzxahsA9Cf8_eEeOZpoWHrwdKa2jNpyv0Uy-XxsAgYaMK5Xv2qi1XkHNqZMWvouHbJ_-Wt70Gtpn3a3vV2OCEy1tyUR3VYAZudMvfmzelBJadhMq2x-_VJlkGIrxrMr8flabsPwoqSQBy-R003ys?purpose=inline) ### Ōhiti Road–Ōmāhu Main construction complete Completed in August 2026, this $10 million project included 2.1 kilometres of new or upgraded stopbanks and bunds beside Ohiwia Stream, raised sections of Ōhiti and Taihape roads, drainage improvements and erosion protection. Responsible: Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. [Ōmāhu flood project reaches the finish line | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2038/mhu-flood-resilience-project-reaches-the-finish) ![Regional Council launches pump station upgrade programme | News & Media | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/CWy_naZ8tZbO6R6QaSr90pVkSewC8xNT9ur1ez2VGyyot61GAi_MnBLCofovXBvfHR00MS0W9YOk0jd5MzKCL6Z-gApF0bG2tBRlNb_PLW-RwY2RtXoQpT6KCn7OfOBnUX25tj0U8s-uThyk1f4R0swHUQ2ZnXmLEsedKtDalWQ?purpose=inline) ### Pākōwhai flood mitigation Under construction The construction contract was awarded to Hick Bros Civil Construction in May 2026, with a reported contract value of $18.23 million for the combined northern and southern packages. In July, HBRC confirmed that 73 properties had their Category 2C classifications removed as construction advanced. Responsible: Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. [GETS | Hawke's Bay Regional Council - HBRC Pākōwhai Northern Stopbank Flood Mitigation Tender](https://www.gets.govt.nz/HBRC/ExternalTenderDetails.htm?id=33123557)[Progress for Pākōwhai: Homes cleared from Category 2C as protection works advance | Whirinaki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/whirinaki/article/2021/progress-for-pkwhai-homes-cleared-from-category-2c-as-protection-works-advance?s=5&t=featured) ![Programme Advisory Group | Hastings District Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/YGZUPsLsPq-diXlPYEGmlLh64uAGmshPwHrB2Bx-X1SlQPUNUmEU61S9_U-YsmkTjL2tmwM8Lyl5El8eqJQPPe9AOj80KgaSkyY0iKZkT5BK8fis3bFNUnM3IdHEYTIH4oOd0lCG9xNN0ghOoEq4-Ejd_B54zSHfvPSbqtBBxAQ?purpose=inline) ### Havelock North Under construction This is one of the seven major post-cyclone community flood-resilience projects. Unlike most of the programme, its delivery is assigned to the district council rather than HBRC. Responsible: Hastings District Council, with the wider NIWE programme providing the funding framework. [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Ōmāhu flood project reaches the finish line | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2038/mhu-flood-resilience-project-reaches-the-finish) ![Whirinaki | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/8iD3W-7KmHIhVXWC8FeMZItAgi7pR1FzBe7u9iAR6ketmx8krgTk6YOwKRKwpclndFEnVYgNXJ7cj0abzd5bS8KGtId4iC_PH-qG2zTnJqEcP5MF8_JO1eudzDga4T4TLzvTlaksFJe2WUcJuyar1BTFs0gwD6nFcLlxe7aSBBg?purpose=inline) ### Whirinaki Under construction Whirinaki is another of the seven major community projects included in the funded recovery programme. It should be distinguished from the wider, longer-term review of flood risk across Hawke’s Bay. Responsible: Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds?s=3&t=featured) ![Pōrangahau homes removed from flood risk category as resilience project advances | Home | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/eETMhY-tI5IT0HE5tD01eJrCeATjL3aVcb-ijEnN0VblxUB7RwTiQv3UHC9ulk2KY6pvBnKqTr8wjV9uqkJPFSBhM0G44GNT3JjijQzaQ-Mg4KRS2izaLNql7bFCTmxfCFYa-lMG262k7F8KkqggLPnsqJVjnsN254ozvOPUMQA?purpose=inline) ### Pōrangahau Funded project The project has a stated budget of $13 million, with 75.15% funded by central government and 24.85% by HBRC. Its long-term operating and maintenance costs are expected to be around $63,000 annually, shared through targeted and general rates. Responsible: Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. [Pōrangahau](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/porangahau/) ![Wairoa flood plan updated: What it means for homes, showgrounds – Te Ao Māori News](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/m3cdg3hxhx5qVetpovWkuoMZKQRskKlA5eDkom62dCLQ20fSFIppmH9nHso2vrRm7i2Ee05kNQxwZPK-b_HvR-278nqfqbgpHcrdEB8g2Yg93-cll_vV3Zi1-L_dQ0UbcGV77PPOOVHvCSDL9I-MrrrS4APbfibfboXNdOvCPHo?purpose=inline) ### Wairoa flood mitigation Funding committed HBRC endorsed a preferred infrastructure option in February 2025 for the North Clyde area, advancing a $70 million Crown-funded project involving a spillway and strategically placed stopbanks. The funding commitment should not be confused with completion of the full scheme. Responsible: HBRC is responsible for the regional flood-protection programme and endorsed the preferred option; Wairoa District Council and the Crown are involved in the wider project. [Hawke’s Bay Regional Council ratifies Wairoa flood resilience infrastructure option | News & Media](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/article/1795/-hawkes-bay-regional-council-ratifies-wairoa-flood-resilience-infrastructure-option-)[Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds?s=3&t=featured) The remaining programme also includes stopbank upgrades at Waipawa, upper and lower Ōmāhu, and Brookfields Lower; two major pump-station upgrades; and region-wide improvements to telemetry systems that monitor rainfall and river levels. These are important because flood protection depends on drainage capacity, monitoring and maintenance as well as the height of stopbanks. [Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds?s=3&t=featured)[August 2025](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/ReducingFloodRisk-Discussiondoc-0825.pdf) ## 2. What is still a future option rather than a funded construction project? For someone living on the Heretaunga Plains, this is arguably the most important part of the picture. ### Reimagining flood resilience: the major scheme review Future investment decisions HBRC is reviewing the two largest schemes — the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme and the Upper Tukituki Flood Control Scheme. The work considers engineering upgrades, making more room for rivers, spillways or flood-storage areas, nature-based measures and different ways of managing residual risk. HBRC says the results will help inform future flood-protection investment in its 2027–2037 Long Term Plan. This is not a blanket commitment to build every option that emerges from the review. [Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/)[2025 2025 Te Pūrongo o Mua i te Pōtitanga 2025 Pr](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Links/GOV0625-PreElectionreport25-V07web.pdf) Responsible: Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, working with affected communities, mana whenua and technical experts. ### More protection for the wider Heretaunga Plains Not yet a single funded package Further strengthening of existing stopbanks, drainage and other flood-control infrastructure may be recommended through the scheme review. The exact mix of works, protection standards, timing and cost-sharing arrangements requires decisions through council planning and funding processes. This distinction matters: the existence of a review does not establish that your part of the Plains will receive a particular new stopbank or a higher protection standard. Responsible: HBRC for the regional flood-control scheme; central government may be asked to contribute funding, but additional Crown funding should not be assumed until committed. [Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/)[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) ### Better forecasting, evacuation planning and protection of flood assets Work in progress HBRC has developed a flood-forecasting dashboard and is working with Civil Defence and councils on evacuation trigger levels. A flood-protection bylaw is also being developed to better safeguard stopbanks and other infrastructure. These measures can improve preparedness and the reliability of the system, but they are not substitutes for physical flood defences. [Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/)[Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/) Responsible: HBRC, working with Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence and Emergency Management and the relevant local councils. ### Long-term coastal protection Separate planning and funding decisions The Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy 2120 identifies long-term responses to coastal erosion, inundation and sea-level rise, including recommended physical works in places such as Te Awanga, Haumoana, Westshore and Bay View. This is a related but distinct issue from river flooding on the Heretaunga Plains. HBRC has said the strategy needs to be incorporated into long-term planning and funding decisions before it can collect rates for its implementation. [2025 2025 Te Pūrongo o Mua i te Pōtitanga 2025 Pr](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Links/GOV0625-PreElectionreport25-V07web.pdf) Responsible: HBRC, Hastings District Council and Napier City Council, under their coastal-hazards collaboration arrangements. ### Who actually pays for future protection? The regional council's planning process matters because it determines more than whether a project gets built. It also determines whether costs fall on general ratepayers, properties within a particular flood scheme, central government, or some combination of those groups. For example, the Pōrangahau scheme has a published annual maintenance-cost estimate and a specified targeted-rate contribution. That is an illustration of how a funded project can still create ongoing local costs after construction. The actual rate impact of further Heretaunga Plains protection has not been established by that example. [Pōrangahau](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/porangahau/)[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) ## 3. What does this mean for the 2026 general election? The election is on 7 November 2026. The key question to put to parties and candidates is whether they are offering a specific, funded commitment to additional protection for the Heretaunga Plains, or supporting the council process that will decide what to build next. The latest HBRC update is particularly relevant: on 7 August 2026, the council confirmed that the community-led Reimagining Flood Resilience project had reported its findings, but no decisions had yet been made on future flood-protection options. Those decisions are intended to be considered through the 2027–2037 Long Term Plan. [Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | Home](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/home/article/2030/community-feedback-helps-shape-the-future-of-regions-flood-resilience?s=1&t=featured) Here is how to distinguish the main kinds of political commitments. | What a party or candidate says | What it establishes | | --- | --- | | “We will complete the existing NIWE programme.” | A commitment to deliver already-funded recovery works; check whether it changes the scope or deadlines. | | “We will provide more funding for Hawke’s Bay flood protection.” | A proposed additional investment. Ask for the amount, source of funding, conditions and named projects. | | “We will strengthen flood protection across the Plains.” | A policy objective, not necessarily a funded or engineered project. | | “We will help households with flood insurance or resilience costs.” | A separate household-affordability proposal; check eligibility, coverage and whether it is funded. | | “We will support HBRC’s flood review.” | Support for a planning process, not a guarantee that any particular option will be built. | I could not verify a published, party-specific commitment that guarantees a particular additional Heretaunga Plains scheme, its construction date and its funding as at the date of this review. That is not proof that no candidate has made such a promise; it means the commitment needs to be checked against the party's current policy and the candidate's own statements. For comparing official party policies, [Policy.nz's 2026 election guide](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/environment?utm_source=chatgpt.com) and the [2026 policy tracker from The Conversation](https://stories.theconversation.com/nz-policy-tracker-2026/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) are useful starting points. [Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/environment)[Election policy tracker: what the parties are promising](https://stories.theconversation.com/nz-policy-tracker-2026/) ## 4. The implications for your home, insurance and rates There are three practical issues I would separate when assessing what these projects mean for your family. Flood protection is not the same as zero flood risk. HBRC says most of its stopbank network is designed around a one-in-100-year level of service, while managed drainage schemes generally provide a lower level of protection. A one-in-100-year event means a 1% chance of an event of that magnitude being exceeded in any given year, not that it occurs only once every century. Flooding can also arise from surface water, overwhelmed stormwater systems or several hazards occurring together. [Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/)[Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/) A regional project does not automatically change your home's insurance terms. Ask your insurer how it assesses your particular address, including river flooding, surface-water flooding, exclusions, excesses and renewal terms. If your property is affected by a new scheme, ask when updated hazard information or land categorisation will be available and whether the insurer will reassess your cover. Do not assume a new stopbank guarantees affordable insurance. Ask who pays both the construction bill and the ongoing costs. Central-government grants can reduce the immediate local contribution, but they do not necessarily cover future maintenance or every additional upgrade. HBRC's long-term scheme decisions will involve trade-offs between the level of protection, affordability, residual risk and how costs are shared among ratepayers. [Pōrangahau](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/porangahau/)[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)[Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | Home](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/home/article/2030/community-feedback-helps-shape-the-future-of-regions-flood-resilience?s=1&t=featured) ## 5. Questions worth asking your local candidates These questions are specific enough to distinguish a general promise from a commitment you could hold a representative accountable for. - Funding: Will you commit additional central-government money to the Heretaunga Plains beyond the existing NIWE recovery programme? How much, and from which budget? - Timing: What decisions or construction milestones will you commit to during the next parliamentary term, rather than leaving everything to a future council plan? - Protection standard: What level of flood risk should new investment address, and how will residual risk be communicated to households? - Insurance: What, if anything, would you do to help households facing unaffordable premiums, high excesses or difficulty obtaining cover? - Rates: How would the costs of new works and ongoing maintenance be shared between central government, regional ratepayers and the properties receiving direct benefits? - Accountability: Will you publish project costs, delivery milestones and progress reports so residents can tell whether commitments are being met? ## Bottom line As of 18 October 2026, Hawke’s Bay has a substantial funded flood-recovery programme, with important works completed and others under construction. But the next phase of protection for the wider Heretaunga Plains is not yet settled: HBRC's August 2026 update explicitly leaves future options and investment decisions open for the 2027–2037 Long Term Plan. For your vote, the useful distinction is between a candidate who supports completing the existing programme and one who makes a specific, verifiable commitment about the next phase: its funding, delivery dates, intended protection standard and impact on household costs. The most useful next step for your own property is to compare its location with the current HBRC flood-hazard information and identify which existing scheme serves it. That will help you assess whether the already-funded works are directly relevant to your home or whether its future protection depends on decisions still to come. ## Gemini Answer ID: d22b2a8a-0aeb-4ee4-915a-be2194aa484e For homeowners on the Heretaunga Plains with school-age children, navigating flood risk, escalating insurance costs, and protection expenses is a critical priority. A substantial package of flood protection works is currently funded and underway across Hawke’s Bay, stemming largely from post-Cyclone Gabrielle recovery packages—notably the **$556 million central-local government cost-sharing agreement** (which includes **$203.5 million specifically dedicated to regional flood protection**) alongside regional council long-term and annual planning. The funded, underway, and future/planned flood protection works for the Heretaunga Plains and wider Hawke’s Bay region, along with their delivery responsibilities, are broken down below. --- ### 1. Works Underway or Completed (Funded & In Progress) These projects are backed by committed co-funding from Central Government and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC), designed to restore or elevate the protection standard (Level of Service) for vulnerable Heretaunga Plains communities. * **Ōmāhu Stopbank Upgrades (Upper and Lower):** * *Details:* Upgrading roughly 2.8 km of stopbanks along the true left of the Ngaruroro River (from Taihape Road to Korokipo Road) to incorporate updated post-cyclone modeling and an extra 700mm of safety freeboard. * *Status:* Construction is actively underway. * **Ōhiti Road / Ōmāhu Stopbanks:** * *Details:* A $10 million stopbank project providing localized defense near Ōhiti Road. * *Status:* Nearing completion (scheduled to finish mid-2026). * **Pākōwhai Flood Resilience Network:** * *Details:* A major $50 million project constructing an 8.5 km network running from the Ngaruroro River to the Napier Golf Club. It features stopbanks, flood walls, a spillway, and a 500m realignment of the Tūtaekuri-Waimate Stream. * *Status:* Construction commenced in May 2026 and is scheduled through mid-2027. * **Brookfields Lower Stopbank Upgrades (Awatoto area):** * *Details:* Upgrade works aimed at bringing greater flood protection and resilience to the Awatoto and lower Brookfields areas. * *Status:* Construction works have commenced. * **Waipawa Township Stopbanks:** * *Details:* Prioritized site upgrade to meet post-cyclone 1% AEP (Annual Exceedance Probability) design standards. * *Status:* Construction is slated to start. ### 2. Future Options, Scheduled Stages, or Upcoming Plans Certain projects and future asset enhancements remain part of forward-looking planning cycles, pending upcoming long-term plan funding considerations or secondary design stages: * **Pump Station Replacements and Upgrades:** * *Details:* Replacing older regional pump stations to drastically improve capacity, reliability, and remote telemetry monitoring. * *Future Pipeline:* While several are moving forward, specific major assets like the **Brookfields pump station replacement** are queued for formal funding consideration through the next long-term plan cycle. * **Wider Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme (HPFCS) Review:** * Ongoing asset management scheme reviews evaluating drainage, river maintenance, and overall network effectiveness against changing climate extremes. --- ### Who is Responsible for Delivery? Delivery responsibilities are shared primarily between regional and local authorities, backed by central government funding streams: * **Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC):** As the primary statutory body managing land, rivers, and regional resilience, HBRC leads the planning, engineering design, consenting, and construction management of the **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme (HPFCS)**, stopbank networks, and major river engineering works (such as those at Ōmāhu, Pākōwhai, and Awatoto). * **Local Territorial Authorities (Hastings District Council and Napier City Council):** Work in partnership with HBRC on local land-use integration, infrastructure connections, roading, and community-level recovery planning associated with category-rated properties and localized defense. * **Central Government:** Acts as a major funding partner (via Kānoa - Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit and the crown-local cost-sharing agreements) providing capital co-investment to accelerate these regional protection works. --- *To help narrow down what specific political commitments or electoral policies matter most for your situation, are you more interested in national party policies regarding long-term climate adaptation funding for local councils, or specific council-level rating impacts on your property?* ## Gemini Answer ID: 05773664-454d-4d6b-98de-188cf012d1bd For property owners on the Heretaunga Plains, navigating flood risk, insurance, and the costs of protection is a central issue, especially with the Hawke's Bay flood resilience program underway following Cyclone Gabrielle. The funding status, delivery responsibilities, and project breakdown across the Heretaunga Plains span current, funded infrastructure works as well as long-term strategies. --- ### 1. Funded and Underway Works (Heretaunga Plains) Major recovery and upgrade packages are actively funded and under construction across the region as part of the **Restoring Flood Resilience** and **North Island Weather Events (NIWE)** recovery programmes. * **Combined Funding Pool:** Central Government and the Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC) locked in a joint $256 million resilience package ($209 million from Central Government via the NIWE resilience programme and $47 million from HBRC) to deliver major flood infrastructure work across Hawke’s Bay. * **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme (HPFCS) Upgrades:** Ongoing works to raise the level of protection (Level of Service) against flooding from the Tūtaekurī, Ngaruroro, Clive, and Lower Tukituki rivers. * **Specific Local Projects Underway:** * **Ōmāhu Stopbank Upgrade:** Recently completed/crossing the finish line or undergoing localized stopbank raises and widenings to protect the community alongside project partners and Te Piringa Hapū. * **Brookfields Lower Stopbank Upgrade:** Improvement upgrade works target greater flood protection for the Awatoto and surrounding lower plains areas. * **Pākōwhai & Whirinaki Protection Works:** Active infrastructure repair and resilience projects within the wider scheme footprint. * **Pump Station & Telemetry Upgrades:** Region-wide joint upgrades to regional drainage pump networks and automated monitoring equipment to improve real-time flood defense responses. --- ### 2. Future Options, Strategy, and Long-Term Planning While physical engineering works are happening on the ground, long-term adaptation for vulnerable areas is still navigating framework options: * **The "Reimagining Flood Resilience" Project:** HBRC has been working through comprehensive community-led resilience strategies to decide how the region adapts over coming decades (addressing land-use planning, vulnerable rural/urban transitions, and whether certain severely affected land frameworks evolve). * **Future Tranches & Local Adaptation:** Additional stopbank raises, drainage integration, and specific property-level mitigations for outlying pockets remain part of multi-year rollouts across the 4-to-5-year post-cyclone window. --- ### 3. Who is Responsible for Delivery? Delivering and maintaining these flood protections involves a multi-layered structure combining central government backing, regional governance, and local rates: * **Central Government:** Provides major capital funding injections (such as the NIWE program and Regional Infrastructure Fund grants) to bridge the massive post-Gabrielle financial gap that local rating bases cannot shoulder alone. * **Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC):** The primary regional authority legally and operationally responsible for designing, building, and managing major river control schemes, regional stopbanks, major drainage networks, and flood-monitoring telemetry on the Heretaunga Plains. * **Local Territorial Authorities (Hastings District Council / Napier City Council):** Work alongside HBRC on local land-use planning, consenting, urban development restrictions, and civil defence coordination during weather events. * **Contractors & Local Hāpu/Community Partners:** Physical construction is contracted out to local civil earthmoving specialists (e.g., for stopbanks and walls), executed alongside close collaboration with local tāngata whenua and affected landowners. * **Property Owners / Ratepayers:** Operation and maintenance costs following construction are traditionally funded via a split model—typically a mix of general rates and targeted scheme rates levied on the specific properties directly benefiting from the protection network. ## AI Overviews Answer ID: 6cdc1fec-3e42-4b23-a2c5-0d7e17e0a572 For your property on the Heretaunga Plains, navigating flood protection, insurance viability, and the long-term cost burden is a critical factor in how you cast your vote. As of **late 2026** , there is a clear distinction between the major civil works currently funded and physically underway versus future long-term adaptation options. * * * 🛠️ Funded and Underway (The $257 Million Programme) Following Cyclone Gabrielle, a **$256.7 million flood resilience package** was locked in under the North Island Weather Events (NIWE) initiative. This program is **75% funded by Central Government and 25% funded by theHawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC)** (with Wairoa 100% Crown funded). The primary delivery body for all physical works is the **[Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/)** , using fast-tracked consenting powers active through 2028. On the **Heretaunga Plains** and surrounding areas, the following specific projects are actively being built or upgraded: * **Pākōwhai Scheme :** A $50 million project involving a new **8.5km network of stopbanks** , stream realignments, and a controlled spillway designed to withstand a 1-in-100-year (1% AEP) flood event. Earthworks began mid-2026 and are tracking toward completion in mid-2027. * **Ōmāhu & Brookfields:** Upgrades, widening, and raising of the **Ōmāhu and Brookfields Lower stopbanks** to secure the Awatoto industrial corridor and neighboring communities. * **Whirinaki Defences :** Residential and industrial stopbanks along with upgraded drainage infrastructure. * **_Waiohiki & Havelock North_:** Localized community flood-infrastructure schemes specifically designed to shift properties out of Category 2 risk zones into Category 1. _Note on Maintenance Costs:_ While Central Government has paid for the bulk of the construction, **ongoing operations and maintenance are local responsibilities**. For these schemes, maintenance is typically funded **70% via targeted rates** on the local property owners and **30% via general regional council rates**. * * * 🗳️ Future Options, Long-Term Protection, and Election Deficit While the immediate $257 million package repairs and enhances existing lines of defense, the broader issue of protecting the entire Heretaunga Plains against unprecedented future weather events remains an open political debate. When analyzing party platforms for the upcoming **2026 General Election** , the policy landscape separates into distinct local and national responsibilities: Protection Approach / Scheme| Status / Plan| Responsible Entity ---|---|--- **National Infrastructure Funding & Financing (NIFF)**| A legal framework being utilized to bridge local funding shortfalls for major infrastructure without blowing out council debt ceilings.| **Central Government** (Treasury / Infrastructure Commission) **Managed Retreat & Climate Adaptation Legislation**| The framework determining who pays if a property becomes permanently uninsurable. Parties are divided on the exact split of cost-sharing between the Crown, local councils, and private homeowners.| **Central Government** (Legislative mandate) **Catchment-wide Nature-Based Solutions**| Moving beyond stopbanks to utilize upper-catchment reforestation and wetlands to slow down river flows before they reach the plains.| Jointly managed by **HBRC** and **Iwi partners** (such as Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa / Ngāti Kahungunu). 💡 Questions to Consider for Your Vote To address your concerns regarding insurance and cost-sharing, you may want to look into how the competing parties answer these key questions: 1. Will they commit to **co-funding a second wave of regional infrastructure** once the current NIWE funds conclude? 2. What is their explicit policy on **insurance-risk transparency**? (Will they restrict insurance companies from using hyper-localized "risk-rating" models that drive up Heretaunga premiums?) 3. How do they intend to fund **climate adaptation**? Will they support a national fund so that the cost burden of managing rising flood risks doesn't fall entirely onto regional ratepayers? If you want to look at how specific policies might alter your household expenses, I can break down how **targeted rates vs. general rates** are structured by the Regional Council, or look at the latest updates on **local property classifications**. Would you like to explore either of those? ## AI Overviews Answer ID: f34a645f-2faa-46ff-a8cf-cb4f6cdce5d3 Major post-Cyclone Gabrielle flood-protection works on the Heretaunga Plains are split between active construction, completed projects, and long-term strategic reviews shaped by central government and regional funding. * * * **1\. Completed or Underway (Funded & In Progress)** * **Ōhiti Road / Ōmāhu Flood Project (Completed):** A $10 million project featuring 2.1 km of stopbanks and bunds beside the Ohiwia Stream, road raising, and drainage protection. _(Delivered by:[Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz) in partnership with local contractors and hapū)_ Ōmāhu flood project reaches the finish line * **Waiohiki Resilience Works (Completed / Near Complete):** Early milestone recovery works along the Tūtaekurī River corridor. _(Delivered by: Hawke's Bay Regional Council)_ Ōmāhu flood project reaches the finish line * **Seven Post-Gabrielle Community Flood Resilience Projects (Underway/Crews Active):** Projects in Havelock North, Pākōwhai, Pōrangahau, and Whirinaki are well into active construction as part of the broader $257 million regional flood package. _(Delivered by: Hawke's Bay Regional Council with Crown North Island Weather Events [NIWE] funding)_ Regional Council welcomes additional government funding to speedŌmāhu flood project reaches the finish lineWhat Hawke's Bay's new $257m flood protection projects are * **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme Upgrades:** Ongoing stopbank planning, raising, and erosion repairs across key nodes like Moteo, Ōmarunui, East Clive, Raupare, Chesterhope, Brookfields, and Pākōwhai Park. _(Delivered by: Hawke's Bay Regional Council)_ Resilient River Communities | Hawke's Bay Regional CouncilHeretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme - Hawke's Bay | Resilient River Communities * * * **2\. Future Options & Policy Decisions (Long-Term / Strategic Review)** * **Reimagining Flood Resilience Project:** Following the independent flood review after Cyclone Gabrielle, a comprehensive long-term strategy for the Heretaunga Plains and Upper Tukituki schemes wrapped up community/mana whenua input and reported recommendations to councillors. These options look at whether standard 1-in-100-year protection levels are adequate or if higher-standard engineering/land-use changes are required. _(Led by: Hawke's Bay Regional Council)_ Hawke’s Bay community to help shape flood resilience future | HomeCommunity feedback helps shape Hawke's Bay future floodCommunity feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilienceNIWA modelling of Cyclone Gabrielle flooding * **Category 2 (2C/2P) Land & Infrastructure Interventions:** Ongoing community-level and property-level engineering solutions for areas classified under the post-cyclone land framework. _(Delivered jointly by: Hastings District Council and Hawke's Bay Regional Council, backed by central government transition agreements)_ Planning for flood protection solutions underway for Hawke'sLand categorisation | Tower Insurance NZ * * * **3\. Election Promises & Central Government Funding Dynamics** * **The $257M Crown-Regional Cost Share & Future Funding:** The bulk of current construction relies on a $209 million central government contribution (via Kānoa / NIWE recovery funds) matched with $48 million from the Hawke's Bay Regional Council. * **The 2026 Election Context:** Future funding stability, long-term subsidisation of local stopbank rebuilds, relief for skyrocketing local rates, and National Hazards Commission (Toka Tū Ake) / private insurance availability in high-risk zones are central political debates. Political parties campaign on varying approaches to climate adaptation cost-sharing, local government debt relief, and RMA/fast-track consenting laws. _(Responsibility for policy: New Zealand General Election parties / Central Government; delivery execution remains split between HBRC and local territorial authorities like Hastings District Council)_ Resilient River Communities | Hawke's Bay Regional Council * * * If you'd like, share: * Your **specific suburb or flood zone category** (e.g., Category 2, low-lying Heretaunga Plains) * Whether you are looking at **rates impacts** or **house insurability** I can give you more targeted local details.