Clayton Mitchell New Zealand First MP

The recent earthquakes and seismic activity we have seen in New Zealand, and the devastation caused, really brings home the urgent need for implementation of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Amendment Bill.

New Zealand First has proudly supported this legislation through its three readings - with constructive suggestions - and have repeatedly urged its passage as quickly as possible. No one could have known how soon after its third reading, our country would be faced with yet another dramatic seismic event. Part 2 of the review - Strengthening Recovery Planning, or 'who does what' - is urgently required and should now be brought to the House as soon as possible, so that it can be read under urgency, in light of our current Civil Defence emergency.

One of the crucial elements that I brought up during the third reading in the House, was the vital need for a tsunami warning system. This is obviously dear to the hearts of those of us who are fortunate enough to live in the Bay of Plenty - I specifically mentioned the concerns of people in Mount Maunganui and Papamoa - but I'm sure the rest of the country has this need further up the New Zealand priority list.

We live in a country that is incredibly sensitive to what's going on below the surface, and we need to invest in systems that can measure, record, and provide adequate warning notification, to give people time to get themselves inland to the safety of higher ground in the event of a tsunami, or otherwise for other seismic events.

We will keep pushing for a tsunami warning system for the Bay of Plenty, and the rest of our coastal nation. Our hearts and thoughts go out to all of those affected by the 2016 Earthquake. We will stand with them in the physical rebuilding, and we will stand with all of New Zealand in working together to rebuild, across all levels of our society, the New Zealand we all want to live in.