Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC) is under fire for failing to carry out its functional role over the past four years.
A damning review released Wednesday found major shortfalls in the regional council's flood protections during Cyclone Gabrielle.
Shortfalls like underestimating flood risk, not including data from historic floods, no hazard mapping for 'super events', no trigger warnings for river levels, ad-hoc and unclear communication with Civil Defence and weak planning rules that led to houses being built in known flood risk areas.
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little says the report's 47 recommendations are things that should already be in place.
"Really this is what HBRC, regional council, should be doing. So I guess therefore they've failed. It's not good reading for them and they're fundamental functions they should be doing.
"We're saying it's the last 3 to 4 years they've really failed. They need to take this seriously now and start doing what they should be doing and keep to their core functions. I wouldn't be looking at any flowery stuff as they have a lot of work to do," Little said.
Wairoa mayor not surprised by scathing review of the Hawke's Bay Regional Council's flood protections during Cyclone Gabrielle
He said residents were angry there had been no empathy shown from HBRC over the recent flooding in Wairoa.
"That's all it would've have taken a 'hey look we don't know what's happened but we're really sorry' and they just can't say that," he said.
Esk Valley resident Daniel Gale agreed. He wanted to see more action from authorities and talked to the panel for the Independent Flood Review on Cyclone Gabrielle.
"My main concern was lack of trigger points, a lack of evacuation plans, and I spoke extensively about the Esk River Mouth and the land surrounding it.
"It's good to see most of our concerns validated, however we want to see action. We've lost faith as a community," he said.
Review of Hawke's Bay Council lays bare failures
Gale's message to the regional council was clear.
"Get out of your office, come and see us... and act."
The HBRC said it has already begun work on 22 of the recommendations and will discuss the other 25 at a council meeting next month.
"Although a lot of people may not see it, a lot of work has been done for our communities impacted and we will continue to do so," Regional Council chair Hinewai Ormsby said.
When RNZ asked her whether there would be an apology made over the findings in this latest review, this was her response:
"Our review was not about HBRC causing a flood... the first few lines were around this being largest flood in New Zealand on record... it's an extraordinary event, one of a scale and magnitude we've never seen...
"Our aroha goes out to everyone that was impacted, that's really at the heart of it, that's really what we want to say," she said.