The Government has announced that it is providing a further interim emergency relief package for regions hit by Cyclone Gabrielle and the January floods.
- $50 million to deliver interim emergency business and primary sector support
- $250 million to help Waka Kotahi and local councils to assess and fix roads
- Inland Revenue support including interest write-offs, tax concessions for donated trading stock and an extension of R&D Tax Incentive filing deadlines
$50 million has been approved by Cabinet to provide immediate support to businesses and the primary sector affected by the weather events. The detail is yet to be received as Ministers will finalise the distribution of this funding in the coming week. It is intended that the support will be available to businesses to meet immediate costs and further assist with clean-up.
We know how important it is to get our roads open again and isolated communities reconnected. Immediate short-term funding of $250 million is also being provided to help Waka Kotahi and local authorities get New Zealand’s essential transport network operating again.
We will provide further detail on the support measures over the coming days. You can ready the Government’s press release here.
The Government’s Cyclone relief to date includes:
- Mayoral Relief Funds: $3.35 million has been dispersed in the Tairāwhiti, Hawke’s Bay, Thames-Coromandel and Auckland regions, with further requests expected
- Civil Defence Payments: As at 20 February, 2023, more than $28.4 million of Civil Defence Payments have been made to approximately 57,000 people
- The Primary Sector Response: An initial $4 million has been made available through MPI
- Community and Social support: A $11.5 million package for NGOs and community groups to provide immediate support
- Initial support for the Upper North Island flooding: An initial $5 million business support fund for those largely in Auckland affected by the floods in January
In addition to the interim Cyclone relief package, on 21 February, the Government announced a further contribution of $1.7 million to Mayoral Relief Funds to support communities impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle. Find out more here.