Does the hazard change with new legislation? —The New Zealand experience

Conclusion

2

• 1. In this the fourth year of the Decade, New Zealand has put in place a number of legislative vehicles to achieve the immediate IDNDR targets, and to work towards the long-term goals of the Caring for the Earth strategy and Agenda 21.

• 2. New Zealand has a system of “nested” plans at all levels of government, dealing with anticipatory measures and provisions guiding communities in their preparation and response to natural disasters.

• 3. Individual and community responsibility for developing strategies are encouraged by school education programmes, active civil defence volunteers at a local level, regional planning for facilitating and coordinating response, and national coordination in the event of major disasters. In addition, any emergency actions carried out in the event of a natural disaster must be remedied.

• 4. There is close collaboration between all levels of planning. However, as the Acts are implemented, there will be different styles of collaboration not yet apparent.

• 5. Protection of natural habitats is mainly provided for in the policy statements and plans at the regional and local levels of planning under the Resource Management Act. Civil Defence Plans would be developed taking this into account.

• 6. Improved understanding of natural processes requires an ongoing process of public education and explanation of issues, objectives and policies about natural hazards.

• 7. The Resource Management Act provides mainly for the avoidance of natural hazards in planning for use of natural and physical resources. It is based on river catchments, an important IUCN requirement for sub-national planning. The Civil Defence Act reinforces the need for individuals to develop a sense of personal responsibility for avoiding and mitigating the effects of natural hazards. Over the Decade, there should gradually be less government regulation of land uses and activities and less government funding in the event of individual disasters.

• 8. There are concerns that as government funding of programmes diminishes, there will not be a corresponding increase in private investment in insurance, research and collaboration. In the event of natural disaster occuring before alternative systems are developed, individuals and communities may suffer hardship.

Because much of the legislation is new and the organizations implementing it are also newly constituted, it is difficult to judge the effectiveness of New Zealand's plans at all levels. It is obvious that all levels of anticipatory and response planning and management are endeavouring to meet the spirit of all international strategies, including the IDNDR.