# Question 155: 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 26 October 2026 [NZ Election 2026 · Edition 6 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: 2e294901-b9af-481d-983f-0aa29e8d26f2 # Hawke’s Bay flood protection: what is funded, what is being built, and what is still undecided? For a homeowner on the Heretaunga Plains with school-age children, I would separate flood-protection commitments into three categories: work already funded and being delivered, upgrades to the existing regional flood scheme, and larger future options that have not yet been approved or funded. The distinction matters when deciding how much confidence to place in election promises about protecting your home, keeping insurance affordable and reducing the risk to your family. As at 26 October 2026, the key finding is that Hawke’s Bay has substantial flood-protection construction underway, but the region's longer-term plan for improving protection across the Heretaunga Plains is still being developed. [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2030/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay) ## 1. The big picture ![Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme - Hawke's Bay | Resilient River Communities](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/xcI_lhlLaHvS3diGpS56f3bG_c7Dyp0CVKuoE1JQmV7xF2Dvb3ewdorJG1oKdBgB3Q5R00eeIVKc3IdJHzXMXugSGgVn8OvMe0GGrDHRKpZkaiHDbyYeJYC5HfdWrWIuhRqfN5gC4GZpSY8ZyUNMjh3phEMzVtyKciJkJWLu-VU?purpose=inline) ### Funded and underway The post-Cyclone Gabrielle programme has $256.5 million committed: $209 million from central government and $47.5 million from Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC). It covers new stopbanks, flood walls, drainage improvements and related infrastructure. [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/) ![Room for the river: The future of Hawke's Bay's Ngaruroro River | RNZ](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/A7Di7WDuaoMPzGcAer_E8H0a2SiuGrh0mOk78IMT2dl61IL-J3--4ToBOwSegmdlgZCXLDc5LN15DSp9Rb2vPF1boxD2FOl7VlF8SC-vunBBzIAx-VNo5dCapoxO_XTWTWLpc8GsLxQnQWSRIgj51tKN1YO12MZSHDqGiN8Gkeo?purpose=inline) ### Existing flood scheme being reviewed HBRC is reviewing the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme, which protects areas around Napier, Hastings and productive rural land. Potential improvements to the wider scheme have not all been decided or funded. [Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/)[Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2030/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay) ![Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, Flooded River.](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/8pqKQQ2gcnDdt3VU7_ului7kRuc4yQZnrQhGAtyQK4A7h1cEwCWDsYiGVCPbpNV8M9Eptr4dVVA3B_uCx-rIyez6BUFuNpOAHL2byj1pT-F14KzEUgfCt0fW2-LmdCjto4t_kuwLNr54AhBGu62V-LyxDu1WzqM8xDhCdOFFLghCfiiyX5mplj-yz0YImtB3?purpose=inline) ### Future investment decisions The next major decisions are expected through HBRC's 2027–2037 Long Term Plan. That process will determine which longer-term protection options to pursue, their costs and how they should be funded. [Community Feedback Will Help Shape The Future Of Flood Resilience In Hawke's Bay](https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2608/S00196/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay.htm)[Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2030/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay) The important qualification is that a funded project somewhere in Hawke’s Bay does not necessarily protect every property on the Heretaunga Plains. The location, river catchment, drainage system and the type of flooding affecting your property all matter. ## 2. Which projects are funded or underway? The following is the position reported by HBRC and other official sources in 2026. The contractors build the works, but the councils remain accountable for delivering the projects. | Project | Status at 26 October 2026 | Who is responsible? | | --- | --- | --- | | Waiohiki | Complete A new 1.035 km stopbank, stream realignment, culverts and drainage upgrades were completed in May 2026. | HBRC, with central-government co-funding. [Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/) | | Ōhiti Road / Ōmāhu | Main build complete The $10 million project added 2.1 km of stopbanks and bunds, raised sections of road and improved drainage. Main construction finished in 2026. | HBRC; central government funds 75%, with HBRC covering the balance. [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) | | Pākōwhai | Under construction An 8.5 km network of new and upgraded stopbanks and flood walls, including a second line of defence along the Tūtaekurī-Waimate Stream. Target completion is in 2027. | HBRC, with central-government co-funding. [Pākōwhai](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/pakowhai/) | | Pōrangahau | Under construction A 1.7 km network of stopbanks and flood walls. The southern phase still requires further design and land-access arrangements, although funding is in place. | HBRC, with central-government co-funding; Galbraith Earthmovers is building the works. [Pōrangahau](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/porangahau/) | | Havelock North | Under construction One of the seven major post-Gabrielle community resilience projects. | Hastings District Council, with central-government and regional co-funding. [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 | Under construction / staged delivery Residential and industrial stopbanks and drainage improvements. A further phase around Pan Pac's log yard is planned to finish by April 2027. | HBRC, with central-government co-funding. [Whirinaki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/whirinaki/) | | Wairoa | Funded; staged delivery A flood-mitigation scheme is being developed to reduce risk to the town. The revised 1C+ option includes a floodway and stopbanks; delivery is more complex than simply raising existing stopbanks. | HBRC leads the flood-protection project, with a separate $70 million Crown-funded allocation reported for Wairoa's flood resilience programme. [Hawke's Bay flood protection works](https://environment.govt.nz/acts-and-regulations/orders-in-council/hawkes-bay-flood-works/)[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) | | Ōmāhu Upper and Lower stopbanks | Under construction A separate upgrade of approximately 2.8 km of the Ngaruroro River stopbank is under way, with enabling works starting in September 2026. | HBRC, with central-government co-funding; Galbraith Earthmovers is the contractor. [Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/omahu-upgrade/) | | Brookfields Lower stopbank, Awatoto | Under construction A 3.6 km upgrade began in September 2026, raising the bank by up to 0.6 m in places and widening it. Completion is expected by April 2027. | HBRC, with central-government co-funding; Goodman Contracting is the contractor. [Stopbank upgrade works bring better flood resilience to Awatoto | Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/omahu-upgrade/article/2053/stopbank-upgrade-works-bring-better-flood-resilience-to-awatoto?s=14&t=featured) | | Waipawa stopbank | Funded upgrade within the regional programme. | HBRC, with central-government co-funding. [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) | | Pump stations and telemetry | Upgrades to pump stations and river/rainfall monitoring equipment form part of the wider programme. These improve drainage capacity and the ability to detect and communicate rising water levels. | HBRC, with central-government co-funding. [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)[Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/) | Status note: “Under construction” can include different phases of a project. A completed section does not necessarily mean the entire project or all associated drainage works are complete. The regional programme is substantial, but its protection standards need careful interpretation. Many of these works are designed around a flood with a 1% annual exceedance probability (AEP) — a 1-in-100 chance in any given year. That is not a guarantee against a larger event, nor does it mean such a flood happens only once every hundred years. [Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/)[Stopbank upgrade works bring better flood resilience to Awatoto | Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/omahu-upgrade/article/2053/stopbank-upgrade-works-bring-better-flood-resilience-to-awatoto?s=14&t=featured) ## 3. The bigger Heretaunga Plains scheme: what is not yet decided? This is probably the most important issue for your vote if your home is on the Plains but outside the specific communities receiving new flood defences. HBRC manages the existing Heretaunga Plains Flood Control and Drainage Scheme. It covers approximately 39,000 hectares and provides flood-control and drainage benefits for about 127,000 people. Its assets include 155 km of stopbanks, 18 pump stations and hundreds of kilometres of rivers, streams and drainage channels. [Major Schemes](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/major-schemes/) The question now is whether that existing system should be strengthened further, where the improvements should go, and how much extra protection the community can afford. ![Room for the river: The future of Hawke's Bay's Ngaruroro River | RNZ](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/1e41FnRp8IA8dY_O_iJ9SDlShOl29AGqh-pjJYMAUrW28p4iCA73KABjrJ6Uld0q2MwxRiVHAt2-JlQdEzuCExQDitlx9PcIhJFVUm_aKj3soecSlwPwxNLYmxuYp_Zy3JDj9fQmg5gg9RGvJ5Nb9Ca6wUH_4ubHM5OcRYsddcY?purpose=inline) ### A. Raising the standard of protection across the Plains Future investment decision HBRC has previously investigated raising protection at selected locations from a 1-in-100-year standard to a 1-in-500-year standard. Earlier planning identified sites including Moteo, Omaranui, East Clive, Raupare, Chesterhope Upper, Brookfields Lower and Pākōwhai Park. Some of that earlier work has since progressed into funded construction, including Brookfields Lower. But the wider programme of potential upgrades is not the same as an approved, fully funded 1-in-500-year scheme for the entire Plains. [Resilient River Communities](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/)[Stopbank upgrade works bring better flood resilience to Awatoto | Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/omahu-upgrade/article/2053/stopbank-upgrade-works-bring-better-flood-resilience-to-awatoto?s=14&t=featured) Responsible: HBRC. Further investment decisions will be made through its planning and rating processes. ![Latest stage of Waipawa gravel extraction underway | News & Media | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/odYHZNrjMKGYN_D-nPfhh8GSCUnYdli_2Ctrop4vUHNlqDHE-GPeLxRKg-_mGkVw4DkjWeKpfVFP3XoAsHgXhl5VUYFF1Y-PQFAZWXIlu0fyP7Bnd1liHuP5AG1LS-RbkpKZ95YB0aS1VFpmsA57YFYppSHZjm2T4DCyCJ2FU5o?purpose=inline) ### B. River management and maintenance Ongoing responsibility Maintaining channels, managing gravel build-up, controlling erosion and maintaining vegetation are essential parts of flood protection. HBRC already performs this work, but the independent flood review highlighted areas for improvement. Future changes in maintenance intensity, river management methods and funding are decisions about how the existing scheme should operate, not a promise that a new stopbank will be built in a particular place. [Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/)[Resilient River Communities](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/) Responsible: HBRC, working with affected landowners, mana whenua and relevant agencies. ![Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, Flooded River.](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/I08kpZaqXS8eTi6yuQb35NMac3_QVYooraV-Ucx760E4ckQd7Uj1SEpVyFV3PStDkuVJA_H9MICjlt1cpaulJwTVju4WHoKT-j98s-lo0R02Mv3O1n5KN-sW8Z-0WjmIxCGruSWwJH50_gBrQGhlMZ7P7S9lebJLq9sJill-I6PPAcm0K1Sn43bIcfy5o5Jg?purpose=inline) ### C. A longer-term flood-resilience strategy Options still being developed HBRC's Reimagining Flood Resilience project has considered community priorities, engineering advice and possible approaches for both the Heretaunga Plains and Upper Tukituki schemes. Its findings were presented to councillors in July 2026. HBRC explicitly stated that no decisions had yet been made on the future flood-protection options. Those decisions are to be considered through the 2027–2037 Long Term Plan, with public consultation expected in 2027. [Community Feedback Will Help Shape The Future Of Flood Resilience In Hawke's Bay](https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2608/S00196/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay.htm)[Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2030/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay) Responsible: HBRC develops the options and proposes the investment; councillors make decisions through the Long Term Plan and related rating and budget processes. ### What about a comprehensive new defence against a Cyclone Gabrielle-scale flood? That is a different question from completing the existing funded projects. Some local works are designed to reduce the consequences of a major flood, but the regional council acknowledges that no flood-protection system can eliminate risk entirely. The cost, environmental effects, land requirements and residual risk of substantially higher protection standards must still be assessed. [Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/)[Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2030/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay) I could not verify an approved, fully funded project to protect the entire Heretaunga Plains against a flood of Cyclone Gabrielle's scale. You should therefore treat claims that such protection is already guaranteed as unproven unless they identify a specific approved project, budget and delivery timetable. ## 4. Who pays, and what could this mean for homeowners? The distinction between construction funding and ongoing costs is particularly important for household budgets. | Cost or decision | Who is responsible? | | --- | --- | | Current post-cyclone resilience programme | Central government and HBRC share the $256.5 million programme budget. | | Cost overruns on the regional programme | HBRC bears the cost of projects exceeding their allocated budget under the programme arrangements. | | Maintenance of the existing Plains scheme | HBRC, funded through the scheme's rates and other regional funding arrangements. | | Future major upgrades | To be determined through HBRC's future investment and funding decisions, including the 2027–2037 Long Term Plan. | | Your home's insurance premium and excess | Your insurer sets these according to its assessment of the property and policy terms. | Sources: [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Major Schemes](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/major-schemes/)[Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2030/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay) A completed stopbank does not automatically guarantee lower premiums or continued insurance availability. Insurers make their own assessments of residual risk, including the risk from surface water, overwhelmed drainage, groundwater and floods exceeding the design standard. Likewise, a new scheme can bring ongoing operating and maintenance costs. For example, HBRC's Pōrangahau project information says its ongoing costs are expected to be shared through a targeted rate on local property owners and the general rate. The exact arrangement for any future Plains-wide investment remains to be decided. [Pōrangahau](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/porangahau/)[Major Schemes](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/major-schemes/) ## 5. How to assess flood-protection promises in the 2026 election Rather than judging parties solely on whether they promise “more flood protection”, I would look for concrete answers to five questions. 1. Is there new money, or is the promise to finish work already funded? Ask whether the commitment is additional to the existing $256.5 million programme. 2. Which places and assets will it protect? A promise to upgrade the Heretaunga Plains is less informative than a funded list of stopbanks, pump stations, drainage assets and river reaches. 3. What level of flood protection is promised? Ask whether it means a 1-in-100-year or 1-in-500-year design event, and how surface-water flooding and larger events are addressed. 4. Who will deliver it, and by when? Distinguish a central-government funding announcement from an HBRC-approved project with designs, consents, land access, a budget and a construction schedule. 5. Who pays the ongoing costs? Ask about the split between central government, regional rates, targeted rates and property owners, and whether the policy includes help for households facing insurance or adaptation costs. One important governance point: central government can provide funding, change legislation and set national policy, but HBRC manages the regional flood-control scheme and is responsible for most regional stopbank, river-management and drainage decisions. Hastings District Council has a direct delivery role in the Havelock North project. [Major Schemes](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/major-schemes/)[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/) I would not label an individual party's 2026 policy an election promise without checking its published policy or an attributable statement. The verified distinction here is between existing commitments and the future decisions still facing councils and central government. ## 6. What I would check first for your own home For a family making decisions about staying, renovating, insuring or eventually selling, I would prioritise these steps: - Identify the actual flood mechanism affecting your property. River flooding, local drainage overload, surface runoff and groundwater flooding can require different solutions. - Check the latest property-specific flood information with your district council and HBRC, rather than relying on the nearest stopbank or a general regional map. - Ask your insurer in writing whether planned or completed flood works affect your premium, excess, exclusions or renewal terms. - Track the 2027–2037 HBRC Long Term Plan consultation. This is the key upcoming process for the wider Plains scheme, including choices about protection standards and affordability. [Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/)[Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2030/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay) The official starting points are HBRC's [Restoring Flood Resilience project updates](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) and its [Reducing Flood Risk in Hawke's Bay overview](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/?utm_source=chatgpt.com). My bottom line: Hawke’s Bay is already spending substantial money on real flood-protection works, some of which are complete and others due to finish in 2027. But the next major decision for the Heretaunga Plains is how much more protection to build into the regional scheme, where to build it, and who should pay. For your vote, I would give particular weight to credible commitments on that next phase, rather than counting existing construction as a new election pledge. ## ChatGPT Answer ID: 344265d0-b51b-4e12-979d-e1c167b2755d # Hawke’s Bay flood protection: what is funded, what is being built, and what is still undecided? Status as at 26 October 2026 · Heretaunga Plains, Hastings and wider Hawke’s Bay For a household on the Heretaunga Plains, the key distinction is between the flood protection works already funded and being delivered, and the larger decisions about future protection that have not yet been made. Hawke’s Bay has a substantial government-supported construction programme following Cyclone Gabrielle. But that does not mean every property will be protected to the same standard, or that all the additional protection residents may want is funded. Three developments are particularly important: - A major construction programme is funded: Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) is delivering new stopbanks, upgrades to existing defences, pump station improvements and monitoring technology. - Long-term protection of the Heretaunga Plains remains under review: future options and their costs are being developed for HBRC’s 2027–2037 Long Term Plan. No decisions have yet been made on those future options. [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/)[Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2030/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay) - The responsibility is shared: central government provides much of the funding, HBRC leads regional flood protection and drainage, and Hastings District Council is responsible for its own Havelock North project. The councils, rather than election candidates, are responsible for delivering the current projects. [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) ## 1. Works with funding already committed The central programme is the North Island Weather Event (NIWE) flood-resilience programme. HBRC's published programme budget is $256.5 million: $209 million from central government and $47.5 million from HBRC. The works are being delivered through a mix of regional council projects and a separate Hastings District Council project. [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) The status below reflects published project updates available in October 2026, not a guarantee that every construction stage is complete or on schedule. | Project | Funding and delivery status | Who is responsible? | | --- | --- | --- | | Pākōwhai | Funded; construction underway. An 8.5 km network of new and upgraded defences along the Tūtaekurī–Waimate Stream, with additional protection behind existing river stopbanks. Completion forecast for 2027. | HBRC, with construction contractors. | | Waiohiki | Funded; the new approximately 1 km stopbank was under construction, with completion initially scheduled for early 2026. Check the latest project update for final completion status. | HBRC. | | Ōhiti Road / Ōmāhu | Funded; stopbank and associated road-raising works are progressing. The Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade entered its enabling-works phase in September 2026. | HBRC. | | Whirinaki | Funded; the new and upgraded residential and industrial defences, drainage improvements and SH2 road-raising works are in delivery. A further phase around the Pan Pac log yard is planned to continue into 2027. | HBRC, working with contractors and affected landowners. | | Pōrangahau | Funded; construction underway on a 1.7 km network of stopbanks, flood walls and other defences. | HBRC. | | Wairoa | Funded; a separate $70 million Crown-funded allocation supports its flood-mitigation project. The updated construction programme anticipated work beginning in 2026. | HBRC, with central government funding. | | Havelock North | Included in the funded NIWE programme. This is a separate project rather than a direct HBRC construction project. | Hastings District Council. | Sources: HBRC's [Restoring Flood Resilience programme](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Pākōwhai project](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/pakowhai/?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Ōmāhu upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/omahu-upgrade/?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Whirinaki project](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/whirinaki/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) and [Pōrangahau project](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/porangahau/?utm_source=chatgpt.com). [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Pākōwhai](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/pakowhai/)[Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/omahu-upgrade/)[Whirinaki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/whirinaki/)[Pōrangahau](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/porangahau/)[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) ### Other funded upgrades that matter to the Heretaunga Plains ![Brookfields Lower stopbank upgrade | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/e7s0reNZzlq-IuXpri2dyPGnACay4HVg1tcpGHbPQpzyUnvi9XhNEF0Ut7JCHIIbPvBsC6UfB1EqAnRfyAZLbshneB0rOp9aurbjSeqYSfyLqKPY0jwtbG61d1Hhbb6tbK_ZBmayW5xbUV9bLy0fX2yHr4_1MeRAIhucNnkaEyk?purpose=inline) Brookfields Lower stopbank — Awatoto Construction underway HBRC began upgrading 3.6 km of the stopbank in September 2026. The work will widen it by up to 2 metres and raise it by up to 0.6 metres in places. Completion is expected by April 2027. HBRC is responsible, with Goodman Contracting carrying out the work. [Stopbank upgrade works bring better flood resilience to Awatoto | Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/omahu-upgrade/article/2053/stopbank-upgrade-works-bring-better-flood-resilience-to-awatoto?s=14&t=featured) ![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) Awatoto (Mission) and Pākōwhai pump stations Funded upgrade programme HBRC has awarded the design-and-build contract for these two major pump station upgrades to Brian Perry Civil. They are intended to improve drainage performance and resilience when heavy rain and high river levels coincide. [Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/)[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)[Stopbank upgrade works bring better flood resilience to Awatoto | Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/omahu-upgrade/article/2053/stopbank-upgrade-works-bring-better-flood-resilience-to-awatoto?s=14&t=featured) ![Regional Council finishes Walker Road stopbank and erosion work | News & Media | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/724hcqqnxM6tmqt6Qz-BpuVmnV9unFo8Pfr6PvA8ZTJvlDEp-2wFE5Drij54pN9AWXtH5Mx2UCgGgXpldRm5IejQ0-4RDZYzWDcNXanV6QOruTZU8x1oLrfOrmDFHhbZK9BX7yp6HFrCATC6zu6VjR0LWj26_73vjvBVMJOb164?purpose=inline) Waipawa and other existing stopbanks Funded upgrade programme The NIWE programme also includes upgrades at Waipawa and improvements to the existing stopbank network. The aim is to restore or improve the agreed regional protection standard, not to eliminate all possible flood risk. HBRC is responsible. [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)[Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/) ![Strengthening Hawke’s Bay’s Telemetry Network To Keep Data Flowing | Scoop News](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/qH8974NA4RQWl6KDu4OHNDnEZ8CgZ_4t80IDXeq0Yxwco_PFp4zOA397IvXC_zf4q1aDxPTVcXKq6DV_qGZE9KKS_8ICcTo1jZTEmnLx5g3ZcZ004RD_uT65o8zJVFRIYQ1E3064mH5mrqOR8MPdjig7bkNpdJWBvmUWFY8q-xo?purpose=inline) River and rainfall monitoring (telemetry) Funded programme HBRC is upgrading monitoring systems across the region to improve information about rainfall and river levels. This supports forecasting and emergency decisions; it is not a physical barrier against floodwater. [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)[Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/) The practical point is that the current funding supports a defined set of projects. It should not be read as a commitment to rebuild every part of the Heretaunga Plains flood scheme to a higher standard. ## 2. What remains a future option? The most consequential unresolved work for many Hastings-area households is the future of the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme as a whole. In August 2026, HBRC reported that its Reimagining Flood Resilience project had produced community feedback, technical advice and recommendations. These are intended to inform the next stage of planning. No decisions have yet been made on the future flood-protection options. The council expects to consider options and costs through its 2027–2037 Long Term Plan, with public consultation planned for 2027. [Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2030/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay)[Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/) | Future issue | What is known now | Decision-maker | | --- | --- | --- | | Higher or more extensive protection across the Heretaunga Plains | Being considered through long-term flood-scheme planning; no final option or funding commitment established. | HBRC, through its Long Term Plan and subsequent decisions. | | Further upgrades beyond the currently funded stopbanks and pump stations | Possible, but the scope, engineering choices and costs need to be assessed. | HBRC, with central-government involvement where additional Crown funding is sought or agreed. | | How much additional protection ratepayers can afford | Future investment choices will need to be weighed against costs and other priorities. | HBRC, with public input through formal consultation. | | Flood risk in areas not adequately protected by existing schemes | Requires area-specific assessment and potentially a combination of structural works, planning, drainage and emergency preparedness. | Depends on the location and type of risk; HBRC, district councils and central government have different roles. | Source: [HBRC — community feedback and future flood-resilience planning, 7 August 2026](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2030/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay?utm_source=chatgpt.com). [Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2030/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay)[Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/) A useful distinction: a project can be funded and underway while the wider scheme it belongs to is still being reviewed. For example, upgrading a particular stopbank does not mean HBRC has committed to raising every stopbank, enlarging every pump station or adopting a single higher protection standard across the entire plains. ## 3. What counts as an election promise? With the general election on 7 November 2026, it is worth separating an existing government commitment from a new promise about what might happen after the election. [Key dates for 2026 General Election](https://elections.nz/media-and-news/2026/key-dates-for-2026-general-election) One useful example is Ōhiti Road. In August 2026, National MP Catherine Wedd reported the official opening of the Ōhiti stopbank and said the Crown had funded 75% of the $10 million project. That is a report about an existing project and its funding, not a new promise to build it. [Wedd's Weekly 27 August 2026](https://www.national.org.nz/news/260827-catherinewedd) The Green Party, meanwhile, published a criticism of the government's flood-protection spending on 20 April 2026, arguing that spending had fallen compared with the previous government's commitments. That is a party's assessment of funding history, rather than a commitment to a particular new stopbank on the Heretaunga Plains. [Luxon's Government cut flood protection spending while extreme weather worsens](https://www.greens.org.nz/_luxon_s_government_cut_flood_protection_spending_while_extreme_weather_worsens) I have not established a sufficiently specific, verified set of new 2026 election pledges to attribute additional Heretaunga Plains construction or funding to particular parties. So I would treat the categories as follows: - Already funded: the named NIWE projects and their approved funding allocations. - Still to be decided: additional investment arising from the wider Heretaunga Plains flood-scheme review. - Election promise: a new party commitment to spend more, change the funding split or build additional infrastructure. Look for an explicit policy, dollar amount, timetable and delivery responsibility before treating it as a firm commitment. For comparing party positions, the most important question is not simply who says they support flood protection. It is whether a party has committed to funding the additional protection that has not yet been approved. ## 4. Who pays, and who delivers? Central government Provides the Crown contribution to the current recovery programme and would need to agree to any additional central funding. National Infrastructure Funding and Financing manages the funding arrangement for the current programme. It does not itself replace the councils as the local infrastructure delivery bodies. [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Stopbank upgrade works bring better flood resilience to Awatoto | Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/omahu-upgrade/article/2053/stopbank-upgrade-works-bring-better-flood-resilience-to-awatoto?s=14&t=featured) Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Leads the regional flood schemes, stopbanks, pump stations, river management, drainage and telemetry. It also has to plan for future investment and determine the regional rates contribution through its own democratic processes. [Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/)[Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2030/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay) Hastings District Council Delivers the designated Havelock North project. District councils also have responsibilities relevant to local stormwater, land-use planning and emergency arrangements, depending on the issue. [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/) ## 5. What does this mean for your home and insurance? For your household, a regional announcement about flood protection is not enough to establish that your property is safe or that your insurance position will improve. Four questions are worth getting answered for your specific address: 1. What is the current hazard? Is the principal exposure river flooding, surface-water ponding, groundwater, or a combination? The relevant protection and drainage measures differ. 2. What protection standard applies? Much of the existing stopbank network is designed around a 1% annual exceedance probability (AEP) event. That means a 1% chance of an event of that size being exceeded in any given year, not a guarantee of safety for 100 years. 3. Does the funded project actually reduce your property's risk? A nearby stopbank or pump station may help, but the effect depends on the catchment, flood pathways and the property's elevation. 4. What will your insurer recognise? Ask your insurer how the property's current flood classification affects cover, excesses, premiums and renewal terms. Do not assume that completion of a nearby project automatically changes those terms. HBRC's [flood-risk information](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) and [flood-resilience projects](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) are useful starting points. [Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/)[Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/) ## 6. A practical checklist for assessing election commitments When a candidate or party discusses Hawke's Bay flood protection, these are the details worth comparing. ### Compare candidates consistently 0 of 6 Additional fundingIs new money explicitly committed beyond the existing $256.5 million programme? How much, and from which budget? Specific locationsDoes the commitment cover the Heretaunga Plains and the rivers, stopbanks or drainage catchments relevant to your property? Delivery datesIs there a funded construction timetable, or only a proposal to investigate options? Household costsWhat share would be paid by central government, regional rates, targeted rates or affected property owners? Risk standardWhat flood event is the proposed infrastructure designed for, and what residual risk remains? Insurance and recoveryDoes the policy address insurance availability, future property categorisation, or relocation support as well as engineering works? Compare published party policies Bottom line: Hawke’s Bay already has a substantial, funded programme of flood-protection construction. The unresolved political and financial question for Heretaunga Plains households is what comes after those projects: whether further scheme-wide protection will be funded, what standard it will aim for, how quickly it will be delivered, and how the costs will be shared. Those decisions remain open as of October 2026, and the 2027–2037 HBRC Long Term Plan process is an important next milestone. [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Community feedback helps shape the future of region's flood resilience | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/2030/community-feedback-will-help-shape-the-future-of-flood-resilience-in-hawkes-bay) ## Gemini Answer ID: f73e632c-4c2f-4e30-a340-bb0e738f77d9 For property owners on the Heretaunga Plains with school-age children, balancing flood protection, insurance viability, and the associated costs is a critical issue—especially when considering your vote in the local and general political landscape. The current landscape of flood protection works affecting the Heretaunga Plains, their status, and the organizations responsible for delivering them comprises the following elements: --- ### 1. Funded and Underway Works * **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control and Drainage Scheme (HPFCS) Upgrades & Maintenance:** * **What is underway:** Substantial upgrade programs are currently being carried out at key regional infrastructure points, including a major performance and resilience upgrade across critical pump stations on the Heretaunga Plains (specifically **Awatoto, Brookfield, and Pākōwhai**). Ongoing asset maintenance—such as stopbank checks, channel clearing, gravel extraction, and live-edge protection (willow and poplar management)—continues across the network. * **Who is responsible:** **Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC)** manages and delivers the scheme, funded significantly via targeted rates from local landowners and ratepayers within the scheme areas. * **Post-Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery Infrastructure Projects:** * **What is underway:** A series of infrastructure repairs and multi-year recovery upgrades designed to restore pre-cyclone levels of protection (and build back safer) are progressively being rolled out across heavily impacted settlements on the Heretaunga Plains (such as parts of Pākōwhai, Ōmahu, Waiohiki, and Havelock North). * **Who is responsible:** Delivered by **Hawke's Bay Regional Council** in coordination with territorial local authorities (like **Hastings District Council** and **Napier City Council**), backed by central government recovery funding arrangements. * **Operational Flood Risk Tools & Dashboards:** * **What is underway:** Implementation of enhanced public tools, including an Extreme Weather Hub and a dedicated **Flood Forecasting Dashboard** to give communities advanced warnings ahead of severe weather events. * **Who is responsible:** **Hawke's Bay Regional Council**. --- ### 2. Future Options and Long-Term Strategy (Subject to Review & Decisions) * **The "Reimagining Flood Resilience" Project (Major Scheme Reviews):** * **What it is:** A comprehensive, long-term strategic review of the Heretaunga Plains and Upper Tukituki flood control schemes. Rather than just fixing what broke, this initiative evaluates future protection levels, land-use planning controls, managing escalating protection costs, and adapting to climate change. Community representative groups and mana whenua are actively shaping these options. * **Status:** This is an active consultative and planning phase mapping out future infrastructure options and risk-reduction investments. * **Who is responsible:** Led by **Hawke's Bay Regional Council** in close partnership with local communities, mana whenua, and technical experts. * **Wider Catchment and Regional Scheme Reviews:** * **What it is:** Reviews of 23 smaller secondary flood protection, drainage, and river/stream schemes across the wider Hawke's Bay region (including elements touching Napier City Council boundaries) to determine future viability and required upgrades. * **Who is responsible:** **Hawke's Bay Regional Council** alongside respective local district and city councils. --- ### 3. Election Promises and Central Government Roles * **Central Government Co-Funding and Policy Frameworks:** * **The context:** While regional councils and local ratepayers design, rate, and execute physical river management works, major infrastructural overhauls and regional resilience funding rely heavily on central government capital partnerships (such as post-cyclone funding packages). * **Election relevance:** Different political parties contesting the general election pitch varying frameworks for regional climate adaptation funding, central-versus-local cost sharing for managed retreat/protection infrastructure, and insurance market stabilization. Parties frequently make explicit funding commitments or policy promises regarding climate resilience co-investments during campaigns, though execution ultimately requires central-local government synchronization. ### Summary of Responsibilities at a Glance | Project / Work Type | Status | Responsible Delivery Agency | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control & Drainage Scheme Upgrades** (e.g., Awatoto, Brookfield, Pākōwhai pump stations) | Funded & Underway | Hawke's Bay Regional Council | | **Cyclone Gabrielle Infrastructure Repairs & Restorations** | Underway | Hawke's Bay Regional Council & Local Councils | | **Reimagining Flood Resilience** (Long-term scheme redesign & future options) | Future Options / Planning Phase | Hawke's Bay Regional Council (with community & mana whenua) | | **National Adaptation Frameworks & Resilience Co-Funding** | Policy / Election Promises | Central Government (Crown) in partnership with Local Government | ## Gemini Answer ID: bffa0f84-c9aa-42cd-ac24-2f1c524fe2f7 As homeowners on the Heretaunga Plains with school-age children, navigating flood security, escalating insurance premiums, and the costs of regional protection works are critical issues. A breakdown of what flood-protection infrastructure is currently funded or underway across the Heretaunga Plains and wider Hawke’s Bay, what remains in the planning or future options phase, and who is responsible for delivering them outlines the current landscape. --- ### 1. Flood Protection Works Underway or Recently Completed (Funded) Significant post-Cyclone Gabrielle recovery projects are actively under construction or have just wrapped up across the Heretaunga Plains and key neighboring pockets, backed by a mix of central government funding and regional rates. * **Ōmāhu Stopbank Upgrades & Ōhiti Road Project:** * *Status:* The main build for the Ōhiti Road project finished mid-2026. Attention has shifted directly to the broader **Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade** (strengthening and improving a further 5 kilometres of defences). * **Waiohiki Flood Resilience Project:** * *Status:* Completed in May 2026. It features a new 1-kilometre stopbank running from the Redclyffe Bridge to the Napier Golf Club along the Tūtaekurī River, alongside the realignment of the Upokohino Stream. * **Pākōwhai Flood Resilience Project:** * *Status:* Underway. Construction started in May 2027 (noting project staging runs through mid-2027). This $50 million major undertaking spans an 8.5km network of stopbanks, flood walls, a spillway, and a 500-metre stream realignment between the Ngaruroro River and the Napier Golf Club course. *(Note: Delivering this project successfully enabled the removal of Category 2C risk classifications for local property owners).* * **Awatoto & Brookfields Lower Stopbanks / Pump Stations:** * *Status:* Upgrade works on the Brookfields Lower stopbank are underway to protect Awatoto. Furthermore, heavy behind-the-scenes work is progressing for the replacement and capacity-expansion of regional pump stations (such as Mission/Awatoto and Pākōwhai pump stations), with construction slated through mid-2027. * **Whirinaki Residential Works:** * *Status:* Residential protection works and road-raising to reduce flood risk are scheduled for completion. --- ### 2. Future Options, Scheme Reviews, and Long-Term Strategy While immediate high-risk hot spots are receiving targeted stopbank builds, the macro-level framework protecting the wider plains is undergoing a generational rethink. * **"Reimagining Flood Resilience" (Heretaunga Plains & Upper Tukituki Scheme Reviews):** * *Status:* Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC) initiated a comprehensive review of the major Heretaunga Plains flood control schemes to assess long-term efficacy, structural standards (such as aligning with 1% AEP / 1-in-100-year metrics), and financial sustainability. Supported by community Stakeholder Reference Groups, this initiative evaluates future protection lines, land-use rules, and how to balance safety with soaring maintenance costs. * **23 Smaller Regional Drainage and Scheme Reviews:** * *Status:* Ongoing reviews encompassing smaller rural and urban drainage networks across the region to address shifting weather patterns and deferred maintenance backlogs. --- ### 3. Who is Responsible for Delivering Each? Responsibility for flood protection in Hawke's Bay is shared across local government, central government, and specialized agencies: * **Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC):** The primary authority. HBRC owns, designs, constructs, and maintains the region’s major flood control schemes (including the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme), regional pump stations, and major stopbank networks. They levy targeted flood-control and drainage rates on property owners within the scheme areas. * **Central Government (Crown):** Partnered via co-funding agreements (such as post-cyclone recovery packages administered via Crown funding tools like Kānoa). Parliament has also facilitated accelerated delivery timelines through temporary legislative mechanisms like the *Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Order in Council*, which streamlines consenting pathways for these exact regional flood works. * **Local Territorial Authorities (Hastings District Council / Napier City Council):** Work in tandem with HBRC on local infrastructure integration, road raisings, three-waters impacts, and local land-use planning/consent processing. * **Civil Defence & Emergency Management:** Jointly responsible with local councils for establishing community evacuation trigger levels, hazard portals, and emergency response frameworks. *** *Are you looking closely at how the election candidates plan to subsidize or co-fund ongoing regional infrastructural costs, or are there specific local insurance and property-categorisation concerns in your neighborhood driving your vote?* ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: 226d42b2-54e0-4d29-bd93-f5382518d009 For homeowners on the Heretaunga Plains, navigating flood risk, insurance, and the long-term costs of resilience involves a combined effort between local and central government. The primary framework governing regional flood mitigation is the **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme (HPFCS)** , alongside the major **North Island Weather Event (NIWE) resilience programme**. * * * Funded and Underway (In Progress / Committed) These projects have secured funding (backed by a mix of central government allocations and regional ratepayer co-funding) and are actively moving through streamlined consenting or construction under the _Severe Weather Emergency Recovery (Hawke's Bay Flood Protection Works) Order 2024_. * * **NIWE Regional Resilience Programme:** A total combined budget of $ 256.5 million (comprising $ 209 million from central government funding via Kānoa/Crown infrastructure mechanisms and $ 47.5 million from regional shares) targeting severe weather recovery and defense upgrades. [Hawke's Bay Regional Council] * **Heretaunga Plains and Specific Site Upgrades:** Specific active engineering works include stopbank reconstructions, reinforcements, and asset upgrades across critical Heretaunga sub-catchments and fringe areas—specifically **Ōhiti Road, Ōmāhu,_Pākōwhai_ , Waiohiki, Brookfields Lower, and _Awatoto_**. * **Upper Tukituki and Gravel Extraction Strategies:** Active gravel extraction and river channel capacity management strategies targeting hundreds of thousands of cubic metres of shingle removal to maintain 1-in-100-year flood capacity. [Hawke's Bay Regional Council] * **Who is responsible for delivering:** **Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC)** is the lead delivery agency managing the engineering and implementation of regional schemes, working alongside local territorial authorities (Hastings District Council and Napier City Council) for localized drainage and land-use integration. * * * * Future Options, Long-Term Upgrades, and Policy/Election Choices While immediate post-cyclone recovery work is underway, upgrading the entire Heretaunga Plains network to higher structural standards (such as shifting protection levels toward 1-in-500-year events or adapting to compounding sea-level rise near coastal/low-lying margins) involves ongoing funding decisions, future capital planning, and political debate: * * **Level of Service (LoS) Enhancements:** Expanding long-term flood protection design standards across the broader Heretaunga scheme boundary (protecting roughly 39 , 000 hectares and ∼138 , 000 people ). Fully funding future resilience upgrades beyond the current $ 256.5 million envelope remains subject to future central government budget allocations, regional long-term plan (LTP) debates, and how much cost is shifted to local targeted rates versus Crown underwriting. * **Property Recategorisation and Managed Retreat/Adaptation Frameworks:** Ongoing decisions around land-use zoning, residual risk management for properties outside hard engineering zones, and funding adaptation frameworks for low-lying coastal or river-adjacent areas. * **Who is responsible for delivering/deciding:** Delivery remains anchored by **HBRC** and local councils, but the _speed, scale, and financial backing_ of future phases depend heavily on central government policy commitments, funding partnerships, and regional governance decisions influenced by the general election. * If you would like to explore this further, I can help detail: * How **targeted rates vs. general rates** impact local property costs in your specific district * The current **insurance implications** tied to recategorised land zones in Hawke's Bay ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: 2fb15531-b385-4bde-9358-a2b1c402adc9 Navigating flood protection, insurance, and long-term costs on the Heretaunga Plains is a central issue for _Hawke's Bay_ families, especially when weighing up local and central government commitments ahead of the 2026 general election. * * * **Funded and Underway (Current Works)** These projects are backed by central government North Island Weather Events (NIWE) funding and regional/local allocations, with construction timelines active through 2026 and targeting completion by mid-2027. * * **Restoring Flood Resilience Programme:** A comprehensive multi-year package targeting specific heavily impacted local community fringes. This includes localized design, stopbank reconstruction, and asset reinstatements. * _Key Sites:_ Ōhiti Road, _Ōmāhu_ , _Pākōwhai_ , Waiohiki, and Whirinaki. * _Responsible Delivery:_ [Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC)](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/) in close collaboration with affected landowners. [Hawke's Bay Regional Council] * **Havelock North Resilience Project:** Localized urban and stream flood defense mitigations. * _Responsible Delivery:_ [Hastings District Council (HDC)](https://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/) working alongside HBRC. [Hawke's Bay Regional Council] * **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme (HPFCS) Upgrades:** Ongoing enabling works, targeted stopbank rebuilds, and erosion control along the _Tūtaekurī_ , _Ngaruroro_ , and _Clive Rivers_. * * * * **Future Options & Long-Term Enhancements (Aimed at 1-in-500-year Level of Service)** Moving the broader Heretaunga Plains protection standard from a 1-in-100-year ( 1 % AEP) to a 1-in-500-year ( 0.2 % AEP) flood event resilience standard involves complex, long-term regional asset planning. * * **HPFCS 1-in-500 Year Target Designs:** Detailed engineering designs, catchment modeling, and consenting pathways for major critical choke points across the _Tūtaekurī_ and _Ngaruroro_ river corridors. [Resilient River Communities] * **Fast-tracked Consenting Tranches:** Utilizing specific resource-consenting frameworks (such as transitional Order in Council processes) to stage major stopbank, culvert, and pump station upgrades. * _Responsible Delivery:_ Led primarily by Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC) as the regional drainage and river management authority, alongside territorial authorities like Hastings District Council. * * * * **Election Promises & Policy Distinctions** * * **Central Government Funding Acceleration:** While current physical works are tied to existing budgets (like Budget 2024’s Cyclone Recovery Capability Fund), future scaling to fully fund the multi-million-dollar step-up to 1-in-500-year protection across the entire Heretaunga Plains remains a political lever. [Hawke's Bay Regional Council] * **The Policy Debate:** Parties diverge on whether long-term climate adaptation, managed retreat, regional infrastructure co-funding, and insurance cost-containment should be subsidized predominantly by central crown appropriations or carried through local regional rating districts and council debt. * Would you like to explore how **regional council rates** are projected to change for Heretaunga Plains landowners, or look at specific **party policy positions** regarding climate adaptation funding for Hawke's Bay? ## AI Overviews Answer ID: 0ac183ec-d16f-48af-acd3-cad8ea22841c The [Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/) (HBRC) is primarily responsible for designing, delivering, and maintaining the region's major flood control and drainage schemes, working in partnership with central government agencies and local territorial authorities like the Hastings District Council and Napier City Council. Funded and Underway (Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery & NIWE Programme) * **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme (Restoring Flood Resilience):** * _Scope:_ A $257 million regional infrastructure rebuild package targeting 11 core flood resilience projects across vulnerable Category 2C and river zones (including Pākōwhai, Ōmahu, Waiohiki, Havelock North, Moteo, Omaranui, East Clive, Raupare, Chesterhope, and Brookfields). * _Funding:_ Financed via a joint $209 million Central Government grant (North Island Weather Events / NIWE budget and Kānoa) and $48 million from HBRC ratepayers. * _Delivery:_ Hawke's Bay Regional Council, targeting 1-in-100-year standard restoration by June 2027. * **Upper Tukituki Flood Control Scheme:** * _Scope:_ An $8 million gravel extraction strategy (targeting 800,000 cubic meters across five rivers) and stopbank/erosion upgrades to protect southern Heretaunga and CHB margins. * _Funding:_ Central Government NIWE allocation and regional scheme rates. * _Delivery:_ Hawke's Bay Regional Council. * **Pump Station & Telemetry Rebuilds:** * _Scope:_ Repair and modernization of damaged key drainage and flood assets (such as Pākōwhai, Mission, and Brookfields pump stations with backup power). * _Funding:_ Central Government recovery grants matched with regional funds. * _Delivery:_ Hawke's Bay Regional Council. * * * Future Options and Long-Term Strategic Choices (Post-Rebuild) * **Heretaunga Plains Scheme Level of Service (LoS) Upgrades:** * _Scope:_ Moving past basic cyclone repair (1-in-100-year standard) to evaluate raising protection levels higher (such as exploring 0.2% AEP / 1-in-500-year protection, expanded spillways, or enhanced stopbanks). This was shaped by the community-led _Reimagining Flood Resilience_ project which reported back to HBRC councillors. * _Funding Status:_ Not fully funded or locked in; long-term capital depends on future regional ratepayer tolerance and central government co-funding agreements. * _Delivery:_ Hawke's Bay Regional Council in consultation with Hastings District Council, Napier City Council, and mana whenua. * **Urban Development vs. Flood-Prone/Productive Land Strategy:** * _Scope:_ Managing the Heretaunga Plains Urban Development Strategy out to 2045, balancing population and housing growth against high-risk flood plains and fertile food-growing soils. * _Funding Status:_ Policy and spatial planning phase rather than a dedicated physical construction budget; political debates center on zoning restrictions and hazard overlays. * _Delivery:_ Jointly managed by Hastings District Council, Napier City Council, Hawke's Bay Regional Council, and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency. If you'd like to narrow this down for your vote or household, let me know: * **Your specific suburb or flood zone category** (e.g., Hastings, Flaxmere, Ōmahu, Pākōwhai) * Whether you are more concerned with **short-term insurance/rates costs** or **long-term stopbank engineering upgrades**