Greater recognition for Southland emergencies essential

Environment Southland believes the Government’s intention to strengthen the emergency management system is urgent given the increasingly frequent and severe weather events being experienced.

Emergency management and civil defence functions are managed in the region by Emergency Management Southland (EMS), which is a joint service with all the Southland councils. Environment Southland hosts EMS on its site and plays a critical role in preparing for and managing emergencies. The Council is responsible for flood risk and drainage management, and regional hazard monitoring and warning. It also provides technical advice that underpins emergency management planning and operations during emerging and active events.

In its submission on the Emergency Management Bill, the Council supports the Bill’s aims to strengthen coordination, clarify authority and modernise the system, but is asking for the Bill to better reflect the realities of slow-onset, flood-driven and climate-related emergencies faced by regions like Southland.

Environment Southland Chair Jeremy McPhail said the slow‑developing or weather‑related situations we often experience in Southland need early monitoring, technical assessments and interagency coordination before a declaration is made.

“The early stages of an event are often operationally significant, providing time to prepare and inform communities who might be at risk, yet the Bill provides little clarity on how they should be managed. We’re asking for clarification to ensure there are no liability implications for early responders, including community volunteers, and for national consistency.

The Council noted that the Bill was light on long-term climate resilience and believes it is important that climate adaptation assets such as flood banks are maintained to a high standard and recognised as core resilience infrastructure.

“Flood infrastructure should be explicitly recognised as essential infrastructure because it plays an important role in substantially reducing the risk and impact of flooding. Having statutory recognition

would provide benefits like ensuring repairs and upgrades are prioritised across regions and planning is coordinated with wider community infrastructure,” said Chair McPhail.

The Council’s submission also asks for a stronger focus on professional capability, a more robust mana whenua partnership and clear national guidance for a staged implementation.

Environment Southland’s submission on the Government’s Emergency Management Bill is available here.