# 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 2 November 2026 [NZ Election 2026 · Edition 8 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: 4c01730b-99f3-4e69-a382-67d48cc36c15 # Hawke’s Bay flood protection: what is funded, what is planned, and who is accountable? For a homeowner on the Heretaunga Plains, there are three separate questions worth keeping apart when assessing flood-protection commitments ahead of the 2026 general election: 1. Is the money actually committed? An announced funding package is not necessarily the same as an approved construction budget. 2. Is the work physically underway? Design, consenting, procurement and construction are different stages. 3. Who is accountable? Central government may provide funding, but the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, local councils and infrastructure agencies can have different delivery responsibilities. The distinction matters because the protection of homes, schools, roads, drainage systems and insurance affordability depends on the actual works delivered, not just the value of announcements. ## 1. The major funding already committed The main package is the North Island Weather Events (NIWE) flood-resilience programme. # $256.5 million Hawke’s Bay regional flood-resilience programme # $209m Central government # $47.5m Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Approximately 81.3% central government and 18.7% regional council. This is an existing funding commitment, not a new election promise. The Regional Council is the principal delivery organisation. The central government contribution is managed through National Infrastructure Funding and Financing (NIFF). One important qualification: this is a programme budget, not an assurance that every possible flood-protection project on the Heretaunga Plains has been funded. The programme is time-limited, and HBRC carries the cost of expenditure exceeding allocated project budgets. [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 | Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds?s=5&t=featured) ## 2. Works already funded or underway The following is the position reported by the relevant councils in September–October 2026. | Project | Funding and delivery position | Responsible organisation | | --- | --- | --- | | Pākōwhai | Construction underway | HBRC | | Ōhiti Road / Ōmāhu | Construction underway | HBRC | | Ōmāhu stopbank | Construction underway | HBRC | | Waiohiki | Construction underway | HBRC | | Whirinaki | Main works nearing completion | HBRC | | Brookfields Lower | Enabling works underway | HBRC | | Waipawa stopbank | Construction starting | HBRC | | Pōrangahau | Construction underway | HBRC | | Havelock North | Funded programme | Hastings District Council | | Wairoa flood mitigation | Crown-funded programme | HBRC, with relevant local delivery partners | Here is what those commitments mean in practice. ### A. Pākōwhai ![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) [hbrc.govt.nz](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/article/1733/regional-council-launches-pump-station-upgrade-programme?utm_source=chatgpt.com) This is particularly relevant to the Heretaunga Plains. The project involves: - Upgrading existing stopbanks. - Building a new 8.5 km flood-resilience network along the Tūtaekurī-Waimate Stream. - Creating an additional line of defence if the existing Tūtaekurī and Ngaruroro defences are overwhelmed. - Realigning approximately 500 metres of the stream. The design includes additional freeboard and is intended to provide protection against a 1% annual exceedance probability flood. Funding: NIWE, approximately 75.15% central government and 24.85% HBRC. Delivery: HBRC, with construction contractors. Timing: Construction began in May 2026, with completion forecast for the second quarter of 2027. This is a substantial funded construction project, not simply a proposal. [Pākōwhai](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/pakowhai/)[Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds?s=5&t=featured) ### B. Ōhiti Road and Ōmāhu ![Construction underway on new flood resilience for Ōhiti Road, Ōmāhu | News & Media | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/YPvw3kLADAurgH3_jV2Md6kgbgQyj4L9kP8jTXQ1Km-wr84SWY-Vqd1-qaf2I5eKEN-_BZ2E-OBjymWTTrYTZUuXILFkuXe1eCY-H5vlG2H_dHHluE2IFdGzPrlUU4CxhKiaCcNiOnXz3JffRlF9Q8i9HxJkOARWCmcp0gm5Z_Y?purpose=inline) [hbrc.govt.nz](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/article/1936/construction-underway-on-new-flood-resilience-for-hiti-road-mhu-?utm_source=chatgpt.com) The Ōmāhu works are important because Cyclone Gabrielle breached the existing stopbank. The upgrade covers approximately 2.8 km of the Ōmāhu Lower and Upper stopbank network along the Ngaruroro River. It includes: - Raising and widening the stopbank. - Improving the riverside slope. - Improving vehicle access arrangements to reduce erosion and overtopping risks. The project design includes an additional 700 mm of freeboard. Funding: Central government and HBRC, under the NIWE programme's stopbank-upgrade allocation. Delivery: HBRC. Galbraith Earthmovers is the construction partner. Latest reported position: Enabling works began in September 2026, with the main construction phase expected to finish around Christmas 2026. Ōhiti Road is a separate but related flood-resilience project in the same programme. Its construction had already commenced by the end of 2025. [Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/omahu-upgrade/)[Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds?s=5&t=featured) ### C. Waiohiki ![Waiohiki | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/F7M2qgwr5YrnU1jqqn2myNw734lsiurnRmhUShPD9292XXscpVM7nouraVr81bgVp9_jgPsIoNF07xftW7hWmzGOkt0h1_RvRAB9CyOWI1YaJP8_2ZjlXzHK4AteT0A2KONsNJfPT-Mcmq9mouwllpO3tHfuvvv-U_XJhc2G7Z4?purpose=inline) [hbrc.govt.nz](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) The project includes a new approximately one-kilometre stopbank. Construction was reported underway in December 2025, with completion initially scheduled for the first quarter of 2026. Funding: NIWE central government and HBRC. Delivery: HBRC. This is an example of why it is worth checking actual completion certificates rather than relying on original target dates. [Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds?s=5&t=featured)[Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/) ### D. Whirinaki ![Whirinaki | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/m-t2YowhMqcrvSu0YbtvfzNdcvbBDydjljF5kNEhOeIsF_qOAnlzJ4Xvv8KDFJf9jyqce9vtMnWOUKiFU26MHJlTwUyHjiLAbSF0amehkBgLrRNubuxDw2tyaDgliP8egUZuY7SPkJYA2zedhmEmeqe0CQTbYSKOIsAwkw8zblk?purpose=inline) [hbrc.govt.nz](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/whirinaki/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) The Whirinaki programme provides: - A residential stopbank. - An industrial stopbank. - Improved drainage. - Raised sections of State Highway 2 and associated road works. It is intended to improve protection for residents and the Pan Pac industrial site. Funding: NIWE and HBRC. Delivery: HBRC, working with construction and roading contractors. October 2026 position: Most of the main stopbank works were approaching practical completion. A further construction stage around the Pan Pac log yard was still to come, with completion anticipated by April 2027. [Whirinaki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/whirinaki/)[Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds?s=5&t=featured) ### E. Brookfields Lower ![Brookfields Lower stopbank upgrade | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/e7s0reNZzlq-IuXpri2dyPGnACay4HVg1tcpGHbPQpzyUnvi9XhNEF0Ut7JCHIIbPvBsC6UfB1EqAnRfyAZLbshneB0rOp9aurbjSeqYSfyLqKPY0jwtbG61d1Hhbb6tbK_ZBmayW5xbUV9bLy0fX2yHr4_1MeRAIhucNnkaEyk?purpose=inline) [hbrc.govt.nz](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/brookfields-lower/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) This involves upgrading approximately 3.6 km of stopbank along the Tūtaekurī River, on the Meeanee/Awatoto side. Funding: NIWE and HBRC. Delivery: HBRC, with Goodmans as construction contractor. By September 2026, vegetation removal, site establishment and other enabling works were commencing. This is funded, but it is important not to confuse enabling works with completion of the upgraded stopbank. [Brookfields Lower stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/brookfields-lower/)[Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/) ### F. Waipawa stopbank A further existing-stopbank upgrade is being undertaken at Waipawa. Funding: NIWE and HBRC. Delivery: HBRC. The Regional Council reported on 28 October 2026 that construction was about to begin. This is a useful example of a project that has funding and is moving into construction, but should not yet be described as completed. [Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/) ### G. Pōrangahau This is outside the Heretaunga Plains but is part of the same regional programme. It involves approximately 1.7 km of stopbanks, flood walls and drainage improvements. By September 2026, much of the northern-side construction was well advanced. Funding: Approximately $13 million, with 75.15% from central government and 24.85% from HBRC. Delivery: HBRC, with Galbraith Earthmovers. The southern-side protection for the marae, urupā, Kaumātua Flats and private dwellings still required further design and land-access arrangements, although funding was reported as in place. [Pōrangahau](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/porangahau/)[Pōrangahau](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/porangahau/) ### H. Havelock North This is another important distinction in accountability. The Havelock North flood-resilience project is part of the NIWE programme, but it is being delivered by Hastings District Council, rather than directly by HBRC. It is therefore worth asking both councils for progress reports when assessing how the wider Heretaunga Plains are being protected. [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 | Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds?s=5&t=featured) ### I. Pump stations and monitoring systems Flood protection is not just about stopbanks. The NIWE programme also includes: - Major pump-station upgrades at Pākōwhai and Awatoto (Mission). - Region-wide telemetry improvements to monitor rainfall and river levels. - Improvements to the infrastructure that supports drainage and flood response. The pump-station design-and-build contract was awarded to Brian Perry Civil. HBRC is responsible for the programme. These works matter because water can still accumulate behind stopbanks, even when the river itself does not overtop them. [Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood resilience programme on track as construction momentum builds | Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds?s=5&t=featured)[Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/) ## 3. What is still a future option rather than funded construction? This is arguably the most important part of the picture for someone considering long-term property and insurance costs. HBRC has completed considerable engineering investigation and design work for further upgrades to the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme. But completing a design does not mean the construction money has been allocated. The Regional Council's September 2025 programme close-out report identified the following future upgrade locations: | Location | Work completed | What remains | | --- | --- | --- | | Moteo | Detailed design | Construction funding and delivery | | Omaranui | Detailed design | Construction funding and delivery | | East Clive | Consenting work | Construction funding and delivery | | Raupare Upper and Lower | Detailed design | Construction funding and delivery | | Chesterhope Upper | Detailed design | Construction funding and delivery | | Brookfields Lower | Detailed design | Now progressing through funded construction | | Pākōwhai Park | Detailed design | Further construction decisions | The important development is that the Regional Council described these as potential future upgrades, with engineering investigations, designs and cultural assessments completed. It also said that the findings of the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme Review and Independent Flood Review would be assessed before deciding whether the existing designs needed modification. In other words, the future works programme was not yet fully funded or approved for construction at that point. Some locations have since progressed into separately funded projects, as Brookfields and Pākōwhai illustrate. [Meeting of the Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://hawkesbay.infocouncil.biz/Open/2025/09/RC_24092025_AGN_AT.PDF)[Brookfields Lower stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/brookfields-lower/)[Pākōwhai](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/pakowhai/) ### What about the wider Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme? ![Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme - Hawke's Bay | Resilient River Communities](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/xcI_lhlLaHvS3diGpS56f3bG_c7Dyp0CVKuoE1JQmV7xF2Dvb3ewdorJG1oKdBgB3Q5R00eeIVKc3IdJHzXMXugSGgVn8OvMe0GGrDHRKpZkaiHDbyYeJYC5HfdWrWIuhRqfN5gC4GZpSY8ZyUNMjh3phEMzVtyKciJkJWLu-VU?purpose=inline) [resilientrivers.nz](https://www.resilientrivers.nz/projects/hawkes-bay/heretaunga-plains-flood-control-scheme--?utm_source=chatgpt.com) The existing scheme protects a substantial part of the region: - Approximately 39,000 hectares. - Approximately 138,000 people. - Much of the urban areas of Hastings, Flaxmere, Havelock North and Napier. - The Tūtaekurī, Ngaruroro, Clive and lower Tukituki river systems. HBRC has previously identified the need to upgrade the overall scheme to respond to changing river conditions, climate change and the lessons of Cyclone Gabrielle. One historical target was to improve the scheme's level of service from a 1-in-100-year flood standard to a 1-in-500-year standard. However, it would be misleading to suggest that the entire 39,000-hectare scheme has already been upgraded to that higher standard. Some individual works have achieved the previous pre-Gabrielle 1-in-500-year benchmark. For example: - The Taradale stopbank upgrade was completed in 2022. - The Ngatarawa stopbank upgrade was also completed under the earlier infrastructure recovery programme. Those completed projects should not be confused with a comprehensive upgrade of the whole Heretaunga Plains scheme. [Resilient River Communities](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/)[Meeting of the Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://hawkesbay.infocouncil.biz/Open/2025/09/RC_24092025_AGN_AT.PDF) ## 4. Who is actually responsible? There are several layers of accountability. | Organisation | Main responsibility | | --- | --- | | Central government | Provides its NIWE funding contribution and sets national funding arrangements | | National Infrastructure Funding and Financing | Manages the central government's NIWE funding arrangements | | Hawke's Bay Regional Council | Designs, funds its share, builds and maintains most regional flood-protection infrastructure | | Hastings District Council | Delivers the Havelock North project | | Wairoa District Council | Local coordination and responsibilities relating to Wairoa's flood mitigation | | Contractors | Physically construct the projects under council contracts | The most important distinction for your voting considerations is that HBRC is the principal long-term owner and operator of the Heretaunga Plains flood-control infrastructure. A central-government announcement of funding does not transfer responsibility for maintaining the stopbanks, pumps and drainage infrastructure to Wellington. That responsibility has significant implications for future regional rates. ## 5. What is funded versus what might become an election promise? I would separate the commitments into three categories. | Category | Examples | How to interpret them | | --- | --- | --- | | Money committed and construction underway | Pākōwhai, Ōmāhu, Waiohiki, Whirinaki | Existing funded projects | | Money committed, construction commencing or in stages | Brookfields Lower, Waipawa, further Whirinaki works | Existing commitments still being delivered | | Future investment requiring decisions | Moteo, Omaranui, East Clive, Raupare, Chesterhope and wider scheme upgrades | Not equivalent to an approved construction programme | On election promises: I would not attribute a new flood-protection commitment to a particular party without a published 2026 policy or a documented government commitment. The existing NIWE programme is an established government funding commitment, not evidence of what every party will promise for the next parliamentary term. For election comparisons, the questions I would put to each party are: 1. Will you provide additional central-government funding for the unfunded Heretaunga Plains upgrades? 2. Will you commit to a long-term funding arrangement beyond the existing NIWE programme? 3. Will you fund upgrades to the wider river and drainage system, rather than just individual stopbanks? 4. Will you provide funding for ongoing maintenance, not just initial construction? 5. Will you require independent reporting on whether the promised flood-protection standards are actually being achieved? ## 6. What does this mean for your home, insurance and family? There are some important limitations to keep in mind. A new stopbank does not automatically make a property low-risk. Even with substantial improvements: - Extreme rainfall can exceed the design capacity of infrastructure. - Stopbanks can fail or be damaged. - Surface-water flooding and stormwater drainage problems can remain. - Groundwater and local runoff can create risks that river stopbanks do not solve. HBRC itself acknowledges that no flood-protection system can eliminate flooding completely. [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/) For your household, I would pay particular attention to four things. 1. Your property's actual flood pathway Ask whether the property is exposed to: - Ngaruroro River flooding. - Tūtaekurī River flooding. - Local stormwater flooding. - Drainage-system failure. - Groundwater inundation. These are different risks and require different engineering responses. 2. Whether the proposed works protect your particular catchment A nearby stopbank upgrade may be reassuring, but it does not necessarily improve your property's protection if the water reaches it through another pathway. 3. Future rates The NIWE programme has time-limited central-government funding. The ongoing operation, maintenance and eventual renewal of flood infrastructure will continue to require funding. Ask HBRC how much of that cost will ultimately fall on regional ratepayers and whether targeted rates will apply. 4. Insurance recognition Do not assume that a completed stopbank automatically reduces premiums or guarantees insurance availability. Ask your insurer whether it recognises the particular flood-protection works, whether your property's flood-risk assessment has changed, and whether the excess or exclusions will change. ## 7. The documents I would examine before voting These are particularly useful primary sources, rather than campaign material. 1. HBRC – Restoring Flood Resilience The current programme, individual project progress, funding and construction updates. [View the Regional Council programme](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 2. HBRC – Resilient River Communities The previous flood-control investments, completed projects and historical Heretaunga Plains upgrade plans. [View completed and earlier projects](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 3. HBRC – Pākōwhai project Particularly relevant to the Heretaunga Plains, including design, construction and protection objectives. [Read the Pākōwhai project details](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/pakowhai/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 4. HBRC – Brookfields Lower A useful example of the transition from engineering design into funded construction. [Read the Brookfields project details](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/brookfields-lower/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## My overall assessment As at 1 November 2026, Hawke's Bay already has a substantial government-backed flood-resilience construction programme. It is not accurate to say that nothing is being done or that the main works are merely election promises. Equally, it would be inaccurate to say that the Heretaunga Plains are now comprehensively protected. The distinction is between a funded first tranche of significant improvements and the much bigger question of what it will take, over the next 10–30 years, to provide sustainable flood protection across the entire plains. For a family with children and a substantial investment in a home, I would put particular weight on the long-term funding commitment, the actual protection standard for your catchment, and who pays for future maintenance. One particularly important question to put to prospective MPs is: Will your government commit to funding the remaining Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme upgrades, including the works identified through the independent flood reviews, and how will you ensure that the cost does not simply become an ever-increasing burden on local ratepayers? That question gets beyond announcements and asks about the things that will affect your home, insurance and family's security for decades. ## ChatGPT Answer ID: 6040a908-de0c-445e-864b-09a79a4e59c3 # Hawke’s Bay flood protection: what is funded, what is still proposed, and who is accountable? For a homeowner on the Heretaunga Plains, the important distinction is between work that has secured funding and is being delivered, work that has been approved in principle but is not yet fully funded, and longer-term proposals that politicians may discuss during the 2026 election campaign. There are several different layers of responsibility: - Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC): responsible for regional flood-control infrastructure, including stopbanks, river management and flood-protection schemes. - Central government: provides funding, sets national policy and can contribute to major recovery and resilience programmes. - Hastings District Council and Napier City Council: responsible for local stormwater networks, drainage and land-use planning within their respective districts. - Landowners and insurers: have separate responsibilities concerning property-level protection and insurance risk. The distinction matters because a government funding announcement is not necessarily the same as a completed flood-protection project, and a regional council proposal is not necessarily a government commitment. ## 1. Works with funding committed or construction underway The central government and HBRC's North Island Weather Event (NIWE) programme is the main funded package to understand. HBRC's current published figures are $256.5 million in total: $209 million from central government and $47.5 million from HBRC. The programme is time-limited, and HBRC carries the cost of overruns beyond allocated budgets. [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 | Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/article/1931/hawkes-bay-regional-councils-flood-resilience-programme-on-track-as-construction-momentum-builds?s=4&t=featured) Here is the position as at 2 November 2026. | Project | Funding and delivery position | Responsible organisation | | --- | --- | --- | | Waiohiki stopbank | Completed New approximately 1 km stopbank, stream realignment and drainage improvements. Completed May 2026. | HBRC | | Ōhiti Road / Ōmāhu | Main works completed Approximately 2.1 km of new and upgraded stopbanks and bunds, plus road raising and drainage work. Main construction completed August 2026. | HBRC | | Pākōwhai | Under construction An 8.5 km flood-protection network, including new stopbanks, flood walls and upgrades to existing defences. Forecast completion Q2 2027. | HBRC | | Whirinaki | Under construction Residential and industrial stopbanks and drainage improvements. Main works progressing, with a further phase around the Pan Pac log yard planned through April 2027. | HBRC | | Pōrangahau | Under construction A 1.7 km network of stopbanks, sheet piling and flood walls. Funding is in place, including the second phase involving marae and other properties. | HBRC | | Havelock North | Funded programme A separate flood-resilience project delivered through the NIWE programme. | Hastings District Council | | Waipawa stopbank | Funded upgrade Raising and strengthening existing stopbank protection to the regional standard. Construction commencement announced October 2026. | HBRC | | Ōmāhu Upper and Lower stopbanks | Funded upgrade Approximately 3 km of stopbank raising and widening. Enabling works began September 2026. | HBRC | | Brookfields Lower stopbank | Funded upgrade Strengthening existing stopbank infrastructure to the regional standard. | HBRC | Sources: HBRC's programme updates and individual project pages. [Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/)[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](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/pakowhai/)[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/)[Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/)[Ōmāhu stopbank upgrade](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/omahu-upgrade/)[Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/) A few details are particularly relevant to households on the Heretaunga Plains. ### Pākōwhai: a second line of defence ![Pākōwhai | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/0WmN9QF7yFZOByNjqPi41DLHt4O80-QCZLEep12IjavQs53YaO2BzehAvUX6aKrFAuLxVGE9jvAeiUNeDWrDTJA07a1rRjjJqZJ7LYLuH6LZvemhpYXFmdbcXIrPxzWeOwyJ6ien_NfO6_OJykbWzhZUv4ImrqsW_PUSReUMfQk?purpose=inline) ![Pākōwhai | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/v-nU68DQwQ7z5jltj7sUK9DTFGawdNOUtwz5krQ_1a5BShb9TL8KN0PNMKepa-uLm_ecK-15nX6lZEiXK3jUxnCc2FB3xVEozQhjq3er1QBZc1nvh0ssuEtZt_iC4cH7_-K6BXnzCVfxu35jxx1xvjPSNxw8PsvxqVRrySatNZg?purpose=inline) ![Restoring Flood Resilience | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/zJu3YZsBJQ0ZJTotajAbk-E9vP4NOkdjZTvp3mUHwrYrsVEvYJdEADIt6XovFRZndI6LbP3vsGn2tl1WEfrcrbWm_C-tcXd5tdlUo0s5RU3OJazyB4wXUb92aaPAJlPgLqhPxCblwFO3BEaDunyRykokRWdQNmxJMIqeiVyWDCI?purpose=inline) This is one of the most substantial projects for the Plains. The scheme includes: - Approximately 5.5 km of stopbank and flood wall along the Tūtaekurī-Waimate Stream. - Approximately 3 km of additional stopbank and flood wall between Links Road and SH2. - Realignment of approximately 500 metres of the stream. - Upgrades to existing stopbanks. The new protection is designed around the regional one-in-100-year flood standard, with an additional 500 mm of freeboard. In July 2026, HBRC confirmed that 73 properties had been removed from Category 2C following progress on the protection works. This is a meaningful land-risk milestone, although it is not a guarantee against future flooding or a guarantee of insurance availability. HBRC is responsible for delivery. [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) ### Waiohiki and Ōmāhu: completed does not mean flood-proof ![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) ![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) ![Waiohiki stopbank complete in major flood resilience milestone | Waiohiki | Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/fri-zRaHWkiyw4XwK_9c0jqkvnmQogwjARWJ4BGTVM2YZdsuq785oGPrK_--E6wTO6pNgM2CGzHDlOLuONX3iKrDQNmwUg0BZWrE1KASyGvaScumg8d_O7daXgA1XMiDkb0CgmEx2C55OFV6rPA4P6EWdZchtz-ayHyTQFL5aAU?purpose=inline) 6 Waiohiki's new stopbank was designed for a one-in-100-year event. Forty-five properties moved from Category 2C to Category 1 following the project. At Ōhiti Road and Ōmāhu, the completed main works included road raising and improved drainage as well as stopbank construction. These are important improvements, but neither project provides immunity from a larger event such as Cyclone Gabrielle. [Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/)[Waiohiki stopbank complete in major flood resilience milestone | Restoring Flood Resilience](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/article/1989/waiohiki-stopbank-complete-in-major-flood-resilience-milestone?s=3&t=featured)[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) ### Pump stations: particularly important for low-lying Plains properties ![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) [hbrc.govt.nz](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/article/1733/regional-council-launches-pump-station-upgrade-programme?utm_source=chatgpt.com) The pump-station programme is another important part of the protection system. HBRC has identified three Heretaunga Plains facilities for upgrades: - Awatoto - Pākōwhai - Brookfields These facilities help remove water from low-lying drainage catchments and return it to rivers. This matters because stopbanks alone cannot solve flooding caused by intense rainfall, surface-water accumulation and groundwater. The programme includes: - More reliable pumping capacity and performance. - Backup power. - Seismic strengthening. - Better remote monitoring and control. - Improvements to fish protection. There is an important distinction here: the stopbank programme has progressed further than the pump-station upgrades. HBRC's May 2026 update described the Awatoto and Pākōwhai pump-station project as still in planning and preliminary design, with early electricity-network work underway. Delivery responsibility: HBRC, with specialist contractors and Unison undertaking associated electricity infrastructure work. [Pump Stations](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/pump-stations/)[Reducing Flood Risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/) ## 2. What is still a future option rather than a funded construction commitment? This is arguably the most important part of the picture for someone deciding what to look for in election policies. ### A. The long-term Heretaunga Plains flood-protection review ![Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, Flooded River.](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/8pqKQQ2gcnDdt3VU7_ului7kRuc4yQZnrQhGAtyQK4A7h1cEwCWDsYiGVCPbpNV8M9Eptr4dVVA3B_uCx-rIyez6BUFuNpOAHL2byj1pT-F14KzEUgfCt0fW2-LmdCjto4t_kuwLNr54AhBGu62V-LyxDu1WzqM8xDhCdOFFLghCfiiyX5mplj-yz0YImtB3?purpose=inline) HBRC has been reviewing the entire Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme through its Reimagining Flood Resilience project. This is much bigger than individual stopbank repairs. It asks what the region's flood defences should look like over the coming decades. The review considers: - Raising and strengthening existing stopbanks. - Creating additional floodways and alternative routes for floodwater. - Allowing more space for rivers to move, sometimes described as room for the river. - Improving river-channel management and gravel extraction. - Better management of water that overtops stopbanks. - How to balance engineering, environmental protection, community safety and affordability. - Whether some land uses or development patterns need to change. The important development is that this is no longer simply a consultation proposal. On 29 July 2026, HBRC councillors received the outcomes of the almost year-long community engagement process. HBRC published the results on 7 August 2026. However, no decisions have yet been made on the future flood-protection options. The next stage is to develop investment options for HBRC's 2027–2037 Long Term Plan, with public consultation expected in 2027. | Question | Position at November 2026 | | --- | --- | | Has the review happened? | Yes | | Have community recommendations been presented to councillors? | Yes | | Have major future engineering options been selected? | No | | Has construction funding been approved for those future options? | Not yet | | Who decides? | HBRC councillors through future planning and budget decisions | | When is the next major decision process? | 2027 Long Term Plan | This is a significant distinction when evaluating election statements: a politician supporting the review is not necessarily committing to a particular engineering solution or funding it. [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)[Hawke’s Bay community to help shape flood resilience future | News Archive](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/our-council/news/archive/article/1892/hawkes-bay-community-to-help-shape-flood-resilience-future) ### B. The proposed one-in-500-year standard One issue worth watching closely is the difference between the current regional standard and the more ambitious protection being considered. HBRC's discussion documents explain that the major Heretaunga Plains and Upper Tukituki schemes have generally been designed around a one-in-100-year flood event. The Taradale stopbank is an exception, having been upgraded to a one-in-500-year standard in 2022. Some of the longer-term proposals have considered extending a one-in-500-year standard to additional parts of the Plains. But that does not mean the whole Heretaunga Plains will receive one-in-500-year protection under the existing funded programme. The Resilient River Communities programme completed design or consent preparation for a number of potential future upgrades, including: - Moteo stopbank. - Omaranui stopbank. - East Clive stopbank. - Raupare Upper and Lower stopbanks. - Chesterhope Upper stopbank. - Brookfields Lower stopbank. - Pākōwhai Park stopbank. These are important distinctions: having a design, or having obtained consent, does not automatically mean the money for construction has been approved. [Resilient River Communities](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/)[August 2025](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Document-Library/Fact-Sheets/ReducingFloodRisk-Discussiondoc-V05.pdf)[Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme - Hawke's Bay](https://www.resilientrivers.nz/projects/hawkes-bay/heretaunga-plains-flood-control-scheme--) ### C. Other future options and programmes There are several additional areas where future investment decisions matter. | Future work | Current position | Responsible organisation | | --- | --- | --- | | Wider Heretaunga Plains scheme improvements | Options being developed for the 2027–2037 LTP | HBRC | | Upper Tukituki scheme improvements | Also included in the Reimagining review | HBRC | | Additional stopbank upgrades at Moteo, Omaranui and Raupare | Design and planning work completed or progressed; future construction decisions required | HBRC | | East Clive and Chesterhope upgrades | Earlier planning and consent preparation; construction funding needs to be established | HBRC | | Further floodplain and river-management changes | Part of longer-term resilience planning | HBRC, with central and local government partners | | Coastal hazard and sea-level-rise responses | Longer-term planning and strategy work | HBRC and relevant territorial authorities | [Resilient River Communities](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/resilient-river-communities/)[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 | Home](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/home/article/2030/community-feedback-helps-shape-the-future-of-regions-flood-resilience?s=1&t=featured) One specific historical example is the proposed recommissioning of the Maraenui stopbank. It was considered in the earlier Resilient River Communities programme but did not proceed. It should not be treated as an approved future construction project. ## 3. Who actually pays for and delivers flood protection? There is a potential accountability problem in Hawke's Bay: the organisation announcing funding may not be the organisation designing or maintaining the infrastructure. Here is the division of responsibilities. | Organisation | Main responsibilities | | --- | --- | | Central government | National funding, recovery programmes, national infrastructure policy and any future Crown contributions | | Hawke's Bay Regional Council | Regional flood schemes, stopbanks, river management, pump stations, drainage schemes and flood monitoring | | Hastings District Council | District stormwater, local drainage, land-use planning and its assigned Havelock North flood-resilience project | | Napier City Council | Local stormwater and urban drainage within Napier | | Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency | State highway infrastructure and associated transport works | | Unison | Electricity infrastructure, including power-network work associated with pump-station projects | The regional council manages the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme, which covers approximately 39,000 hectares and provides flood-protection benefits to around 138,000 people. HBRC also manages the river channels, drainage networks and gravel-management activities that affect how well the flood scheme performs. [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/) ### Who pays in the longer term? This is particularly relevant to your concerns about rates and insurance. The existing NIWE programme has a central-government contribution and an HBRC contribution. However, ongoing operation and maintenance are not automatically paid for by the Crown. For example, HBRC says ongoing Waiohiki maintenance will be funded through targeted and general regional rates. The future Heretaunga Plains scheme review explicitly asks how much communities are willing and able to pay for greater protection, and how that cost should be distributed. This means the 2027–2037 Long Term Plan could be particularly important for homeowners: the question is not just what engineering work is possible, but what level of protection ratepayers will agree to fund. [Waiohiki](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/waiohiki/)[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)[August 2025](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Document-Library/Fact-Sheets/ReducingFloodRisk-Discussiondoc-V05.pdf) ## 4. Are these 2026 general-election promises? I would separate three things when assessing political claims. 1. Existing government commitments The NIWE funding package is an existing government commitment, not a new election promise. The projects already funded through it should be judged on delivery, construction progress, completion dates and whether the promised work is actually achieved. 2. Future council investment decisions The next major investment decisions sit with HBRC's 2027–2037 Long Term Plan. These decisions will determine whether the region moves beyond the currently funded recovery works into larger-scale improvements. 3. New political commitments I have not established a verified, costed party-by-party commitment for additional Heretaunga Plains flood-protection construction from the sources reviewed. I would therefore be cautious about treating statements such as these as funded policies: - We will increase Hawke's Bay flood protection. - We will build stronger stopbanks. - We will improve regional resilience. - We will help communities recover from Cyclone Gabrielle. For each statement, the questions should be: How much money? Which particular river or community? Which engineering works? Who delivers them? When will construction start? Is the funding additional to the existing NIWE allocation? A promise to investigate or develop a business case is not the same as a commitment to construct. ## 5. What does this mean for your home, insurance and family? There are three issues I would pay particular attention to. ### A. A regional protection standard does not establish your property's individual risk The one-in-100-year standard is a statistical design standard, not a guarantee that your property will remain dry. A flood can also affect a property through: - Water overtopping or breaching a stopbank. - Surface-water flooding from intense rainfall. - Drainage systems becoming overwhelmed. - Groundwater rising. - Water being unable to drain back into rivers because river levels are too high. This is particularly important for low-lying parts of the Heretaunga Plains. HBRC explicitly acknowledges that no flood-protection system can guarantee complete protection. [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/) ### B. Flood protection and insurance are related, but not identical The removal of a property's Category 2C classification following new infrastructure is relevant evidence of a changed risk assessment. However, it does not automatically mean: - Your insurer must offer cover. - Your premiums will decrease. - Your excess will decrease. - Your property will retain its value. - Your mortgage lender will change its requirements. Insurers make their own assessments of individual properties and residual risk. I would want any politician proposing flood-resilience investment to explain whether they also intend to address insurance affordability and availability. ### C. Evacuation and community safety matter as much as engineering HBRC is also working with Civil Defence and local councils on flood evacuation trigger levels. This is important for families with school-age children. Flood infrastructure can reduce risk, but people still need reliable warnings, clear evacuation routes and practical plans for getting children home or to safety. HBRC has also been developing a flood forecasting dashboard and improving rainfall and river-level monitoring. [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. The documents I would use to check political claims These are the most useful primary sources rather than party publicity or campaign material. 1. HBRC – Restoring Flood Resilience Project-by-project construction progress, funding and completion information. [View the flood resilience programme](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/restoring-flood-resilience/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 2. HBRC – Reimagining Flood Resilience The longer-term Heretaunga Plains and Upper Tukituki investment debate. [Read about reducing flood risk](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 3. HBRC – Flood hazard information Property and area-specific flood hazard information. [Find flood hazard and risk information](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/community-conversations/reducing-flood-risk-in-hawkes-bay/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 4. HBRC – Pump station upgrades Progress on the Awatoto, Pākōwhai and Brookfields infrastructure. [View pump station upgrades](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/pump-stations/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## 7. Questions worth putting to candidates before voting I would use these questions at local candidate meetings and when reading party manifestos. 1. Funding: Will you commit additional central-government funding for Hawke's Bay flood protection beyond the existing $209 million NIWE contribution? 2. Protection standards: Will you support moving the Heretaunga Plains scheme towards a one-in-500-year protection standard? Which locations would receive it, and when? 3. Affordability: How will you prevent the cost of future flood protection falling disproportionately on local ratepayers? 4. Insurance: What will you do to help homeowners in flood-prone areas retain affordable insurance? 5. Delivery: Who will be accountable if funded flood-protection projects are delayed or do not deliver their intended protection? 6. Family safety: What investment will be made in flood forecasting, evacuation routes, school-community emergency planning and reliable warnings? 7. Long-term planning: Will you support the findings of HBRC's Reimagining Flood Resilience work with actual construction funding, rather than simply further investigations? ## My overall assessment of the position in November 2026 There is already substantial money committed to Hawke's Bay flood recovery and resilience. This is not simply a collection of election promises: major projects have been completed, others are being constructed, and several additional stopbank upgrades have funding. However, the much bigger question of what level of protection the entire Heretaunga Plains should receive over the next 20–50 years remains unresolved. The current programme should not be confused with a commitment to protect every property against a one-in-500-year flood. The next major opportunity to establish that direction is HBRC's 2027–2037 Long Term Plan, alongside any additional central-government commitments made by the parties contesting the 2026 election. For your household, I would focus particularly on three measurable commitments: the flood standard proposed for your particular catchment, the proportion of future costs paid by central government rather than ratepayers, and the treatment of residual flood risk for homeowners and insurers. One useful next step: If you tell me roughly which part of the Heretaunga Plains your property is in (for example, Pakowhai, Twyford, Bridge Pā, Clive, Haumoana, or another area), I can narrow this down to the rivers, stopbanks, drainage and pump stations most relevant to your home. ## Gemini Answer ID: 87a085f0-3461-4f99-98bf-b46906a6ee42 For homeowners on the Heretaunga Plains with school-age children, balancing flood risk, insurance sustainability, and protecting household costs is a central issue. Ahead of the 2026 general election, understanding what work is locked in versus what remains part of future planning or political campaigns is vital. The current landscape of funded works, underway projects, future options, and delivery responsibilities for the Heretaunga Plains is outlined below. --- ### 1. Funded and Underway Works Following Cyclone Gabrielle, major recovery and resilience packages were established, backed by joint Crown and local government funding agreements (including regional infrastructure and cyclone recovery packages). * **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme (HPFCS) Repairs and Upgrades:** * *Status:* Underway. * *Details:* Immediate post-cyclone recovery involved repairing damaged stopbanks, spillways, floodwalls, and floodgates. Substantial infrastructure upgrade programmes are also underway at key regional pump stations (including **Awatoto, Brookfield, and Pākōwhai**) to increase performance and resilience against future extreme weather events. * **Category 2 Infrastructure Protection:** * *Status:* Funded and underway. * *Details:* Strengthening localized flood protection infrastructure to support populated and vulnerable Category 2 sites across the plains—such as **Pākōwhai, Ōmahu, Waiohiki, and Havelock North**—has been tied into regional recovery funding packages. * **Enhanced Monitoring and Forecasting Tools:** * *Status:* Completed and operational. * *Details:* The launch of regional Extreme Weather Hubs, live webcam/river data mapping, and advanced flood forecasting dashboards to give communities earlier warnings ahead of storms. ### 2. Future Options and Current Reviews * **"Reimagining Flood Resilience" Scheme Reviews:** * *Status:* Active planning / future options phase. * *Details:* A comprehensive review of the major **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme** and the Upper Tukituki scheme is evaluating how to lift long-term levels of protection (Levels of Service) and adapt to a changing climate while keeping rates and protection costs manageable for locals. Community representative groups and mana whenua have been heavily involved in shaping these long-term regional options. * **Wider National Pipeline & Pre-Election Asks (Political Context):** * *Status:* Election considerations/policy proposals. * *Details:* Local Government sector groups (such as Local Government New Zealand and regional river groups) have been actively lobbying major political parties ahead of the 2026 election to endorse a nationally co-funded, long-term pipeline for major flood resilience projects (seeking formal pre-election commitments for subsequent government budgets). Parties are facing pressure from Hawke's Bay communities to commit to ongoing central government co-investment for future climate adaptation infrastructure. --- ### 3. Who is Responsible for Delivery? Responsibility for these flood-protection assets and works is shared across local and central government agencies: * **Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC):** * *Role:* HBRC is the primary regional authority responsible for the management, maintenance, and operational delivery of major flood control schemes (including stopbanks, major drainage networks, river channels, gravel extraction, and regional pump stations). HBRC leads the "Reimagining Flood Resilience" reviews. * **Local Territorial Authorities (Hastings District Council & Napier City Council):** * *Role:* These councils work closely alongside HBRC, particularly regarding local land-use planning, consenting, urban stormwater networks, local roading access, and implementing the land-categorisation and recovery framework partnerships. * **Central Government (The Crown):** * *Role:* Central government provides capital co-funding via post-disaster recovery packages, the Regional Infrastructure Fund, and national emergency management agencies. While the Crown does not build or maintain the stopbanks directly, its financial backing dictates whether major multi-million dollar upgrades can proceed without placing an unmanageable burden solely on local ratepayers. --- Are you looking for more details on how these regional flood protection reviews might impact specific local residential areas or property insurance ratings in your neighborhood? ## Gemini Answer ID: 31ca0129-ef69-4c6a-b896-d21478166902 Living on the Heretaunga Plains with school-age children makes flood risk, insurance stability, and protection costs central to your family's daily security and financial future. Navigating this ahead of the 2026 general election requires understanding what infrastructure is locked in versus what remains a proposal or political promise, alongside who is accountable. --- ### 1. What is Funded and Underway (The Reality on the Ground) Significant multi-million-dollar post-Cyclone Gabrielle resilience projects are currently funded and actively under construction across Hawke’s Bay through a joint funding model. * **The Funding Engine (NIWE Programme):** Central Government committed **$209 million** via the North Island Weather Events (NIWE) resilience fund, paired with **$47 million** from the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC), creating a **$256 million combined flood protection programme**. HBRC has ramped up its capital delivery to historic highs to execute these works. * **Heretaunga Plains Specific / Local Major Projects:** Under the umbrella of the NIWE programme and ongoing maintenance, major funded resilience upgrades target high-risk Heretaunga Plains and surrounding areas—specifically including **Ōhiti Road | Ōmāhu, Pākōwhai, Waiohiki, and Havelock North**, alongside other regional spots like Whirinaki and Pōrangahau. * **Core Infrastructure Upgrades:** Beyond major site-specific walls and stopbanks, substantial capital is actively flowing into upgrading **regional pump stations, stopbanks, and river telemetry (flood-monitoring) systems** to improve real-time early warning capabilities. * **The Heretaunga Plains Flood Control and Drainage Scheme:** This longstanding foundational network (managing roughly 155km of stopbanks, hundreds of kilometers of channels, and multiple pump stations across the plains) is permanently active, with ongoing maintenance and periodic capacity enhancements funded via targeted local rates. --- ### 2. Future Options, Gaps, and Election Promises While major capital works are underway, many broader questions remain unresourced or subject to political debate leading up to the election: * **Property-Specific Buyouts vs. Protection (FOSAL Framework):** While engineering works aim to lift risk categories for some communities, decisions and long-term funding for properties remaining in high-risk zones under the Future of Severely Affected Land (FOSAL) framework involve complex negotiations between central government, local councils, and affected homeowners. * **Long-Term Climate Adaptation & Regional Funding Shortfalls:** Regional and district councils have flagged that local ratepayer bases cannot fully afford the escalating multi-billion-dollar costs of future-proofing against accelerated climate change. * **Election Manifestos and Political Promises:** Different political parties contesting the 2026 election approach these challenges with varying proposals regarding: * The exact split of financial responsibility between central government tax revenue and local council rates. * National adaptation frameworks (clarifying who pays when retreat or major hard engineering is required). * Support for insurance affordability and the potential establishment of government-backed mechanisms or risk-reduction incentives to prevent communities from becoming uninsurable. --- ### 3. Who is Responsible for Delivering Each Part? Understanding who holds the levers helps clarify who to hold accountable at both local and national levels: | Layer | Entity | Primary Responsibilities | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Regional Delivery & Assets** | **Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC)** | Legally the lead agency responsible for the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of major regional flood control schemes, stopbanks, river channels, and regional drainage networks (such as the Heretaunga Plains Scheme). | | **Local Infrastructure & Land Use** | **Hastings District Council (HDC)** | Manages local urban stormwater networks, land-use planning, building consents, and local roading infrastructure that must integrate with regional flood defenses. | | **Central Funding & Policy** | **Central Government** | Provides major capital injections (such as the NIWE funding pools), establishes national emergency management frameworks, sets adaptation legislation, and influences the macro-environment of insurance stability. | | **Implementation** | **Private Contractors / Works Groups** | Earthmoving and engineering firms contracted directly by the councils to build specific stopbanks, sheet-piling walls, and drainage culverts. | --- As you weigh your vote in 2026, a key question to put to candidates is **how their party plans to partner with regional councils to fund the next generation of climate adaptation**, ensuring that families on the Heretaunga Plains aren't left facing unsustainable rate spikes or withdrawal of insurance coverage. Would you like to explore how different political parties' recent policy platforms approach local infrastructure funding or insurance resilience? ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: 5c4019aa-c131-4222-a4a0-ca8b6f2ddecc For residents on the Heretaunga Plains, navigating flood protection, insurance implications, and local versus central government responsibilities is a central issue. Below is an overview of the flood-protection works currently funded, underway, or completed in the region, alongside responsibilities and broader future/policy considerations for the 2026 general election context. * * * 1\. Funded and Underway / Recently Completed Works A massive multi-million-dollar regional flood resilience programme is active across Hawke’s Bay, heavily accelerated and co-funded following Cyclone Gabrielle. * **Waiohiki and Ōmāhu Post-Cyclone Recovery & Stopbanks:** Major stopbank reconstruction and strengthening works at Waiohiki and Ōmāhu have reached completion as part of a record capital investment cycle. * [Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/flood-control/major-schemes/) **(HPFCS) Upgrades:** Ongoing planning, enabling works, and targeted stopbank/erosion upgrades across the Tūtaekurī, Ngaruroro, Clive, and Lower Tukituki river systems. These aim to future-proof urban and rural fringes against extreme weather events. * **Specific Central Government-Co-funded Resilience Projects:** Specific localized resilience and mitigation packages are rolling out across **Ōhiti Road | Ōmāhu, Pākōwhai, and Havelock North** , addressing local vulnerabilities exposed during major weather events. * **Telemetry and Pump Station Upgrades:** Upgrading regional river-monitoring telemetry networks and pumping stations to ensure real-time data accuracy and active drainage management during heavy rain. Who is responsible for delivering these? * [Hawke's Bay Regional Council](https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/) **(HBRC):** Holds primary regional statutory responsibility for the management of major rivers, regional flood control schemes, regional drainage channels, and core stopbank networks. * [Hastings District Council](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastings_District_Council) **(HDC):** Manages local stormwater infrastructure, local roading drainage interfaces, and specific urban resilience projects (such as designated works within Havelock North) in close coordination with HBRC. * * * 2\. Future Options, Long-Term Upgrades, and Policy/Election Context While immediate post-cyclone repairs and high-priority stopbank restorations are underway, major systemic upgrades and long-term climate adaptation face ongoing debate and funding hurdles: * **Targeting 1-in-500-Year Level of Service (LoS):** Long-term planning frameworks for the Heretaunga Plains scheme look at scaling up key stopbanks (such as areas around Moteo, Omaranui, East Clive, Raupare, Chesterhope, Brookfields, and Pākōwhai) from a 1-in-100-year standard toward a 1-in-500-year resilience standard. Fully realizing this standard across all sub-catchments remains a multi-year, capital-intensive horizon requiring sustained central government partnership. * **Property Risk Categorisation & Managed Retreat:** Decisions around category-rated land, buyouts, and localized adaptation protection involve joint funding agreements between local authorities and central government. Continued funding certainty for adaptation and community protection engineering depends heavily on central government policy commitments. Who is responsible for delivery / decisions? * **Central Government (Kānoa – Regional Development Unit / Better Off funding packages):** Provides the macro-capital co-funding required for massive regional infrastructure shifts that exceed local rating bases. * **Regional & District Councils:** Responsible for the local long-term plans (LTPs), community consultation, and execution. * * * Election Context Considerations When weighing your vote in the **2026 New Zealand General Election** , parties differ in their approaches to regional resilience: * **Central Government Funding Commitments:** Look at party stances on ongoing co-funding for regional council flood resilience infrastructure versus shifting the financial burden back to local ratepayers via council property rates. * **Climate Adaptation Frameworks:** Parties offer varying legislative frameworks for long-term adaptation, insurance retreat, and managing the spiralling cost of insuring homes on low-lying floodplains. You can track specific local council project updates via the Hawke's Bay Regional Council Projects Page . Restoring Flood Resilience | Hawke's Bay Regional Council ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: 2fdc9f1f-5ca3-4de6-a543-8d6bf0dc71c2 For homeowners on the Heretaunga Plains (including _Hastings_ , _Flaxmere_ , and surrounding semi-rural areas), understanding who fixes and maintains flood infrastructure—and where the money comes from—is vital for property risk and insurance. Below is an overview of what flood-protection and resilience works are underway, funded, or proposed as future options, along with the organizations responsible for their delivery. * * * 1\. Completed and Underway Works (Funded & Active) Major post-Cyclone Gabrielle recovery and resilience upgrades across the Heretaunga Plains have seen unprecedented capital expenditure. * **Completed Post-Cyclone Restoration & Upgrades (_Waiohiki_ and _Ōmāhu_):** Major stopbank reconstruction, raising, and edge-protection works have been completed in high-priority zones like _Ōmāhu_ and _Waiohiki_ along the Tūtaekurī and Ngaruroro rivers. This work has successfully allowed risk categories (such as Category 2B designations) to be lifted for hundreds of properties in the region. * **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme (HPFCS) Upgrades:** Backed by substantial central government co-funding (including Kānoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit) and regional funds, ongoing work continues to upgrade the level of service across 39,000 hectares. Designs and preparatory engineering for critical secondary nodes (including _Marenui_ , _Moteo_ , _Ōmarunui_ , _East Clive_ , _Brookfields_ , _Pakowhai_ , _Raupare_ , and lower _Omahu_) are actively progressing. * **Funding Status:** Fully funded through a mix of central government resilience grants, [HBRC] cash reserves, insurance recoveries, and regional targeted rates. The [Hawke's Bay Regional Council Annual Report] highlights a record investment—including roughly $ 58 million dedicated entirely to regional flood resilience. * **Responsible Delivery Agency:** **Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC)** , acting in close collaboration with local civil contractors and engineering groups, alongside local territorial authorities like the **Hastings District Council** for internal stormwater/drainage integration. * * * 2\. Future Options, Long-Term Resilience, & Election Context While immediate post-cyclone reconstruction is well-advanced, larger systemic upgrades (adapting to accelerated climate change, sea-level rise near the coast, and 1-in-500-year event standard protection) face longer-term financial horizons. * **Extended HPFCS Level-of-Service Expansion (Targeting 0.2% AEP / 1-in-500-year standard):** Moving parts of the wider Heretaunga scheme from a 1-in-100-year to a 1-in-500-year flood mitigation standard requires ongoing capital pipelines. Future phases depend heavily on whether central government cost-sharing and regional co-funding models are sustained post-2026. * **Catchment-Wide Land Use and Gravel Management Strategies:** Long-term riverbed aggradation (gravel build-up) management, upper catchment afforestation, and potential land-swaps or managed retreat frameworks remain ongoing policy options rather than locked-in physical builds. * **Election Promises vs. Institutional Plans:** While local councils have locked-in long-term regional-council-backed infrastructural paths through their Long-Term Plans (LTPs) and annual budgets, national political parties often pitch differing regional resilience packages, infrastructure co-funding funds, or adjustments to the National Resilience Plan during a general election year. Nationally funded adaptation funds or changes to insurance-subsidisation models (such as EQC/Natural Hazards Commission changes or managed retreat legislation) typically form the core of political debate rather than the physical delivery of regional stopbanks, which remains local government territory. * **Responsible Delivery Agency:** Strategically overseen by **HBRC** in partnership with central government ministries (e.g., the Ministry for the Environment / Kānoa) and local district councils. * * * Summary of Responsibilities * **Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC):** Statutory responsibility for the major regional rivers, regional drainage schemes, and the physical construction/maintenance of major flood control assets (stopbanks, pumps, gravel extraction, and major flood schemes). * **Hastings District Council (HDC):** Responsible for local urban stormwater networks, land-use zoning decisions, and local roading infrastructure that interacts with regional river flood paths. * **Central Government:** Provides major capital grants, disaster recovery funding frameworks, regulatory guidance (Resource Management Act reforms / climate adaptation legislation), and national co-investment. If you'd like to narrow down your vote or research further, let me know: * Which **specific local electorate or party policies** you are comparing regarding regional infrastructure? * Whether you want more details on how **local property rating impacts** from HBRC's capital works affect your specific neighborhood? ## AI Overviews Answer ID: 1f35264b-6153-47aa-94a8-ec6edbbd94b4 Funded and Underway Flood-Protection Works * **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme Upgrades:** * _Status:_ Underway / Active construction and design phases following post-Cyclone Gabrielle re-evaluations. Major capital works across key sites (such as Pākōwhai, Ōmāhu, Waiohiki, and Havelock North) are part of a broader regional flood resilience programme. * _Delivery Responsibility:_ Led and delivered by the **Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC)** in partnership with central government funding mechanisms (such as National Infrastructure Funding and Financing / Kānoa) and local contractors. * **Post-Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery & Resilience Projects (11 Major Projects Total):** * _Status:_ Underway with over $58 million spent in the 2025–26 financial year, targeting stopbanks, pump stations, and telemetry upgrades across sites like Waiohiki, Ōmāhu, _Pākōwhai_ , and Awatoto. * _Delivery Responsibility:_ **Hawke's Bay Regional Council** (co-funded roughly 75% by the Central Government and 25% by HBRC). * * * Future Options, Scheme Reviews, and Election Context * **Long-Term "Reimagining Flood Resilience" & Scheme Reviews:** * _Status:_ Ongoing community consultation and strategic planning for how rivers and flood schemes on the Heretaunga Plains should adapt to long-term climate change (moving toward "rivers that have room to move" and updated 1-in-100-year to 1-in-500-year safety standards). * _Delivery Responsibility:_ **Hawke's Bay Regional Council** working alongside local territorial authorities (**Hastings District Council** and **Napier City Council**) and central government policy frameworks. * **Election Promises & Central Government Policy:** * _Status:_ National-level party positions and regional funding commitments for future climate adaptation cost-sharing (such as ongoing Crown co-funding for regional resilience packages, local share rating policies, and insurance/redirection frameworks) are central talking points ahead of the **2026 New Zealand general election**. * _Delivery Responsibility:_ Central Government (via legislative Orders in Council, Crown funding packages, and ministerial recovery management) operating jointly with regional and district councils. If you want to look closer at your specific neighborhood or property status, tell me: * **Which side of the Heretaunga Plains** you live on (e.g., Pākōwhai, Ōmāhu, Waiohiki, Clive, Hastings/Napier urban) * Whether your property is near a **specific river or stopbank** I can share what exact local scheme or review applies to your area. ## AI Overviews Answer ID: 4c8071cb-e2b3-4f44-86b3-6bff32d13bd5 For homeowners on the Heretaunga Plains with school-age children, understanding local flood mitigation is critical for assessing property safety, managing private home insurance exposure, and evaluating candidates ahead of the New Zealand general election. Navigating the landscape of funded projects, future options, and regional governance dictates exactly where the lines of responsibility fall. Funded or Underway Flood Protection Works A total **$257 million co-funded flood resilience package** is driving structural upgrades across Hawke's Bay. This package is heavily backed by $203.5 million from central government via the National Emergency Management / Cyclone recovery funding, alongside $44 million from local government. * **Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme Upgrades:** This massive foundational project protects 39,000 hectares and 138,000 residents across Hastings, Flaxmere, Havelock North, and Napier. The core goal is moving protection capacity from a 1-in-100-year (1% AEP) standard up to a **1-in-500-year (0.2% AEP) flood event standard**. Works encompass widening and raising stopbanks, groynes, sheet piling, and riprap. * **Targeted Rapid-Response Upgrades:** Underway or recently completed works include major stopbank enhancements at critical Heretaunga Plains nodes: * **Waiohiki & Ōmāhu:** Post-cyclone stopbank completions have successfully allowed the lifting of high-risk Category 2C statuses for hundreds of local properties. * **Pākōwhai & Awatoto:** Underway stopbank widening and reinforcement designs to shield industrial sectors and low-lying residential clusters. * **_Havelock North_ :** Targeted urban stream and attenuation upgrades. * **Gravel Extraction Strategies:** Active clearing of river beds across the plain’s major feeds to maintain historical flow capacity channels. * **Digital Infrastructure:** The rollout of real-time telemetry warning systems, live rainfall gauges, and the public HBRC Flood Forecasting Dashboard. **Who is responsible:** The **Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC)** holds primary statutory responsibility for designing, funding, and maintaining these major catchment schemes. However, the **Hastings District Council (HDC)** takes direct operational delivery over specific local urban works, such as the Havelock North stream assets. Future Options & Long-Term Planning These projects are past the idea stage but are actively undergoing community focus groups and financial modeling before physical construction begins. * **The "Reimagining Flood Resilience" Output:** Following an independent flood review, HBRC is managing community panels to determine what long-term adaptation looks like. This includes reviewing land-use planning, building controls, and deciding whether to rely purely on massive stopbanks or to allow certain rural zones to act as controlled spillways. * **Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy 2120:** This addresses the coastal margins of the plain. It looks at funding allocations for ongoing dynamic gravel renourishment, seawalls, and rock revetments at Te Awanga and Clifton, alongside long-term managed retreat strategies. **Who is responsible:** This is a **joint partnership** between the HBRC, Hastings District Council, and Napier City Council, working in tandem with mana whenua. Election Promises & Political Fault Lines As a voter preparing for the general election, the debate is less about _whether_ to protect the Heretaunga Plains, and more about **who pays for it** and **how fast the red tape is cut**. Election Policy / Debate Area| Political Positions & Fault Lines| Impact on Heretaunga Homeowners ---|---|--- **Funding Split (Targeted vs. General Rates)**| Local political factions are debating HBRC’s funding model. Options range from a 70% targeted rate (paid only by properties directly in the flood zone) to spreading costs via a region-wide general rate.| **Direct Cost:** A shift toward heavy targeted rating will directly spike annual rates bills for Heretaunga Plains property titles. **Fast-Track Consenting Durations**| Right-of-center platforms campaign on extending and solidifying fast-track pathways (like the _Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Order_) to bypass standard Resource Management Act (RMA) appeals. Left-of-center candidates advocate for stricter environmental and ecological safeguards before expanding stopbanks.| **Protection Speed:** Fast-tracking gets stopbanks built faster but minimizes public notification and regular consultation rights. **Central Government Infrastructure Funds**| Debate focuses on the allocation criteria of the central **Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF)** and how much future Crown cash will be ring-fenced for Hawke's Bay versus other national priorities.| **Insurance Safety:** If central government funding dries up, local councils may delay upgrades, increasing the risk that private insurers pull back or implement risk-based premium spikes on the plains. **Who is responsible:** Delivering on these models depends on the balance of power in **Parliament** (determining Crown grants and fast-track legislation) and the alignment of elected **HBRC Regional Councillors** (who set local rate configurations). Proactive Next Steps for Your Family To verify the exact standing of your Heretaunga home, consider these resources: * Check the exact, current flood risk layers for your address using the official Hawke's Bay Hazard GIS Viewer. * Review how the council categorizes your area via the HBRC Reducing Flood Risk Hub. * Download and complete the school/work evacuation plan template via the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan to map out safety meeting points for your children. To help narrow down election positions, are there **specific political parties** you want to compare on infrastructure spending, or would you like to know more about how **private insurers** are treating Category 2 vs Category 1 properties on the Heretaunga Plains?