Kumeū wants to move.
Auckland Council's laid out its plan for Kumeū to try to mitigate the impacts of flooding.
Although they had three ideas for mitigation, the council's found no viable solution to the town's history of floods, as none of the options would drop the flood levels by 1 meter as needed.
About 200 people attended a public meeting in Auckland's northwest last night to discuss the issue.
Rodney Councillor Greg Sayers says those attending want a plan to move the town's centre.
He says they also committed to creating stronger rules to prevent people building houses in flood zones.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the carry Wood and Mornings podcast from
News Talks. He'd be.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Local leaders want the township of Cumu in northwest Auckland
relocated after a council report found no viable solution to
the town's long history of flooding. About two hundred people
attended a public meeting in Auckland's northwest last night to
discuss the issue. Rodney councilor Greg Sayers chaired the meeting
last night and joins me, now, very good morning to you, Greg.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yeah, thank you, Carrie, thanks for having me on the show.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Well, it's it's a situation that's affecting more than just Cumyu.
I mean, you know, this is a this is something
so many settlements around the country are having to address.
I find it interesting that only two hundred I mean,
you know, that's a good showing for a town hall meeting,
but only two hundred people showed up when it's the
future of the town at stake.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Oh well, look it was a very good turn out.
The hall was packed. Yeah, so more people in there
and a group of populos said would be very concerned
about their properties, about their land, that is, about their
inability to get get insurance, and of course the news
wasn't got use for them carry So you know the
(01:19):
Mere and Auckland councils. It sent away the bureaucrats of
Auckland Council to investigate if we could build a way
out and mitigate the flooding Kmue last night. Was the
council funding to give give that result.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
So it's not what people really wanted to hear.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
It's certainly not. We were hoping that the council could
come up with some ideas that they had three key
ideas carry One was to build a massive tunnel to
drain the Kmue River into the White a Matter Harbor.
Another one was to build it dam through the north
of the settlement to capture water and release it slowly
(02:00):
after a flood event. And another option was to widen
the Kimu River. What they reported after this is two
years of doing that work that none of those solutions
would drop the flood levels by a meter, and you
need to drop the flood levels by mean to stop
the township flooding.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
How would relocation work? Would it be like they're doing
in Westport where future developments are all made on the
new land and it happens over a basically half a generation.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
That's right. That's right. So the council, the council came
up with three things that it can do. One is
that it can put in and it has put an
early monitoring system so it can give up now four
hours warning to the community that it's going to flood,
so people can get out of the way and take
care of the things that they need to take care
of ahead of the flood hitting the town. Not one
(02:56):
was that they stop they want to stop or get
stronger consenting walls to stop people building the floodplains through
the planning departments of alland council. And the last one,
as you mentioned, was relocating the town center and expected
this manner that you've mentioned over a period of time
moving it from its current location to another one and
(03:17):
they could take decades.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
So what was the response from people within the.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Hall, Well, I think there was a lot of you know,
people are under a lot of financial stress as well
as mental health stress around what's happening in Kemu, and
we we're told last night that it's only going to
get worse that you know, hundred year further ventus, there's
one hundred and fifty mills over twenty four hours. We're
(03:44):
now told it's going to be more like two hundred
and fifty mills, So the floodplains in Kimo are going
to get even bigger. The public were very strongly fed
back that they wanted that Kemu were a better maintained
and the great needwork around it hit clear of debury.
They also agreed that you know, there should be strict
(04:06):
that consenting rules to stop building in those foot planes.
And they also were quite critical Balkan councils kind of
compliance divisions not investigating illegal activities such as people bringing
cleanful onto their sites to bring to build their properties up.
But that's only flooding their neighbors.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
But isn't that, in effect what the council has allowed
to have happened by granting consents for big developments that
have built their developments up that have left neighboring areas vulnerable.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Well, that kid newstmuism in a very kind of unfortunate
situation where a few years ago it was designated to
the special Housing area with almost three thousand houses being
built there. The council strongly opposed that they knew the
infrastructure couldn't carry. But the national government the time forced
(05:01):
this housing infulfordable housing fatal crave, never put the infra
structure and it was promised. So it's really compounded the
issue out there, both in traffic problems and now this
this flooding issue. So yes, everyone agrees that how they
shouldn't be going in there the rate it is, Well,
(05:21):
how do.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
You mitigate against that sort of stupidity, against that sort
of decision? I mean, the decision makers have long gone
from you know, from them they don't have to worry
about it, but the families who are living there do.
And as you say, how do you get insurance if
you've got a mortgage, how do you get insurance on
your property?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
You know, I'm glad you brought that up. A lot
of this need to rethink how chem is going to
develop going forward is being driven by the insurance companies, right,
a lot of them are not giving insurance anymore the properties,
and a lot is being driven by the banks who
aren't prepared to lend on properties that are at risk.
So you've got those very strong forces at play as well,
(06:06):
and you know that's really creating enormous press for that community.
So we've got to find a way forward for them,
and last night was the council front thing to present
what they knew and to share with the locals.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
As you say, it's just bad news after bad news
after bad news. So if you've already got a mortgage,
then you just have to keep paying hugely inflated premiums
that reflect the risk of staying there. But you can
never sell your house, really can you.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Well, it's going to be very difficult for people, and
you know those people were there last night. The Orkan
Council set up a special office called the Recovery Office,
and most people were there last night, and that's there
to give people support about how they deal with the
banks and how they deal with insurance companies and paint
them through that minefield that you've just alluded to.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
So there are no answers. It's a case by case scenario.
But if you bought there in good faith because it
is it's a beautiful part of the country, great schools,
great community, great community, and then basically you're stuck there.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
If you're in a floodplain area, that's that's right, Terry.
So it's a very difficult meeting for the council to front.
But as I mentioned, you know, we had to force
them to come to the community and share the information
that they had. There wasn't only of interest, of course
the findings to the property owners there, but the insurance
companies and the banks were also you know, taking great
(07:45):
interest in that report. So, yeah, the town center is
going to have to be moved, and it's going to
take a period of time to do through. What you
mentioned a bit early in the show about manage to
treat and.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
So all the talk of dredging the rivers and building
another pathway for the water to flow, that's just pine
in the sky. The decision pretty much has been made
by the insurance.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Well that's well, and organ councilors also investigated if it
would drop those blood levels by a meter. None of it,
none of it will will will help will do it?
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, oh Greg.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Yeah, So you know, as I mentioned, Kerry, the financial
stresses and the mental health stresses in that community are
at a peak. And you know, it's a very good
community in terms of the railing around each other and
councils put in this recovery officers try and step people through,
(08:47):
you know, how they deal with their future.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Right, it is grim. Greg, thank you so much for
taking the time to talk this morning. Greg say, as
Rodney Council, we're putting back on the meeting last night
where really there was no good news.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
For more from Kerry Wooden Mornings, listen live news talks
at b from nine am weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the carry Wood and Mornings podcast from
News Talks. He'd be.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Local leaders want the township of Cumu in northwest Auckland
relocated after a council report found no viable solution to
the town's long history of flooding. About two hundred people
attended a public meeting in Auckland's northwest last night to
discuss the issue. Rodney councilor Greg Sayers chaired the meeting
last night and joins me, now, very good morning to you, Greg.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yeah, thank you, Carrie, thanks for having me on the show.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Well, it's it's a situation that's affecting more than just Cumyu.
I mean, you know, this is a this is something
so many settlements around the country are having to address.
I find it interesting that only two hundred I mean,
you know, that's a good showing for a town hall meeting,
but only two hundred people showed up when it's the
future of the town at stake.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Oh well, look it was a very good turn out.
The hall was packed. Yeah, so more people in there
and a group of populos said would be very concerned
about their properties, about their land, that is, about their
inability to get get insurance, and of course the news
wasn't got use for them carry So you know the
(01:19):
Mere and Auckland councils. It sent away the bureaucrats of
Auckland Council to investigate if we could build a way
out and mitigate the flooding Kmue last night. Was the
council funding to give give that result.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
So it's not what people really wanted to hear.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
It's certainly not. We were hoping that the council could
come up with some ideas that they had three key
ideas carry One was to build a massive tunnel to
drain the Kmue River into the White a Matter Harbor.
Another one was to build it dam through the north
of the settlement to capture water and release it slowly
(02:00):
after a flood event. And another option was to widen
the Kimu River. What they reported after this is two
years of doing that work that none of those solutions
would drop the flood levels by a meter, and you
need to drop the flood levels by mean to stop
the township flooding.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
How would relocation work? Would it be like they're doing
in Westport where future developments are all made on the
new land and it happens over a basically half a generation.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
That's right. That's right. So the council, the council came
up with three things that it can do. One is
that it can put in and it has put an
early monitoring system so it can give up now four
hours warning to the community that it's going to flood,
so people can get out of the way and take
care of the things that they need to take care
of ahead of the flood hitting the town. Not one
(02:56):
was that they stop they want to stop or get
stronger consenting walls to stop people building the floodplains through
the planning departments of alland council. And the last one,
as you mentioned, was relocating the town center and expected
this manner that you've mentioned over a period of time
moving it from its current location to another one and
(03:17):
they could take decades.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
So what was the response from people within the.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Hall, Well, I think there was a lot of you know,
people are under a lot of financial stress as well
as mental health stress around what's happening in Kemu, and
we we're told last night that it's only going to
get worse that you know, hundred year further ventus, there's
one hundred and fifty mills over twenty four hours. We're
(03:44):
now told it's going to be more like two hundred
and fifty mills, So the floodplains in Kimo are going
to get even bigger. The public were very strongly fed
back that they wanted that Kemu were a better maintained
and the great needwork around it hit clear of debury.
They also agreed that you know, there should be strict
(04:06):
that consenting rules to stop building in those foot planes.
And they also were quite critical Balkan councils kind of
compliance divisions not investigating illegal activities such as people bringing
cleanful onto their sites to bring to build their properties up.
But that's only flooding their neighbors.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
But isn't that, in effect what the council has allowed
to have happened by granting consents for big developments that
have built their developments up that have left neighboring areas vulnerable.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Well, that kid newstmuism in a very kind of unfortunate
situation where a few years ago it was designated to
the special Housing area with almost three thousand houses being
built there. The council strongly opposed that they knew the
infrastructure couldn't carry. But the national government the time forced
(05:01):
this housing infulfordable housing fatal crave, never put the infra
structure and it was promised. So it's really compounded the
issue out there, both in traffic problems and now this
this flooding issue. So yes, everyone agrees that how they
shouldn't be going in there the rate it is, Well,
(05:21):
how do.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
You mitigate against that sort of stupidity, against that sort
of decision? I mean, the decision makers have long gone
from you know, from them they don't have to worry
about it, but the families who are living there do.
And as you say, how do you get insurance if
you've got a mortgage, how do you get insurance on
your property?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
You know, I'm glad you brought that up. A lot
of this need to rethink how chem is going to
develop going forward is being driven by the insurance companies, right,
a lot of them are not giving insurance anymore the properties,
and a lot is being driven by the banks who
aren't prepared to lend on properties that are at risk.
So you've got those very strong forces at play as well,
(06:06):
and you know that's really creating enormous press for that community.
So we've got to find a way forward for them,
and last night was the council front thing to present
what they knew and to share with the locals.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
As you say, it's just bad news after bad news
after bad news. So if you've already got a mortgage,
then you just have to keep paying hugely inflated premiums
that reflect the risk of staying there. But you can
never sell your house, really can you.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Well, it's going to be very difficult for people, and
you know those people were there last night. The Orkan
Council set up a special office called the Recovery Office,
and most people were there last night, and that's there
to give people support about how they deal with the
banks and how they deal with insurance companies and paint
them through that minefield that you've just alluded to.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
So there are no answers. It's a case by case scenario.
But if you bought there in good faith because it
is it's a beautiful part of the country, great schools,
great community, great community, and then basically you're stuck there.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
If you're in a floodplain area, that's that's right, Terry.
So it's a very difficult meeting for the council to front.
But as I mentioned, you know, we had to force
them to come to the community and share the information
that they had. There wasn't only of interest, of course
the findings to the property owners there, but the insurance
companies and the banks were also you know, taking great
(07:45):
interest in that report. So, yeah, the town center is
going to have to be moved, and it's going to
take a period of time to do through. What you
mentioned a bit early in the show about manage to
treat and.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
So all the talk of dredging the rivers and building
another pathway for the water to flow, that's just pine
in the sky. The decision pretty much has been made
by the insurance.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Well that's well, and organ councilors also investigated if it
would drop those blood levels by a meter. None of it,
none of it will will will help will do it?
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, oh Greg.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Yeah, So you know, as I mentioned, Kerry, the financial
stresses and the mental health stresses in that community are
at a peak. And you know, it's a very good
community in terms of the railing around each other and
councils put in this recovery officers try and step people through,
(08:47):
you know, how they deal with their future.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Right, it is grim. Greg, thank you so much for
taking the time to talk this morning. Greg say, as
Rodney Council, we're putting back on the meeting last night
where really there was no good news.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
For more from Kerry Wooden Mornings, listen live news talks
at b from nine am weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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