A 10-year partnership agreement formalising and defining roles and responsibilities for the delivery of civil defence and emergency management (CDEM) was signed by the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) at the last full council meeting (June 30).

While the relationship between the QLDC and Otago CDEM has been functioning well, the new agreement formally defines roles and responsibilities, including governance, equipment, facilities, financial and risk management, as well as creating stability for staff, a QLDC staff report said. 

It also sets out the lines of command and control for Emergency Management Otago (EMO), whose staff are employed by ORC.

The CDEM budget is set by the ORC and financed via an annual targeted rate on all ratepayers across the region.

Although the councillors' approval of the new agreement was unanimous, councillor Penny Clark questioned whether CDEM had preparedness plans in place to cater for the thousands of visitors staying in hotels and holiday homes.

“There’s potentially a huge amount of visitors in this town at certain times who haven’t a clue what they’re supposed to do [during an emergency],” she said.

QLDC chief executive Mike Theelen said concerns about visitors was a “recognised and well understood risk” and a plan had already been developed with the input of hotel operators as well as the regional tourism organisations, Lake Wānaka Tourism and Destination Queenstown.

Emergency management structure

The Otago Regional Council (ORC) and five territorial authorities (of which the QLDC is one) are responsible for the provision of CDEM in the region, which is delivered via EMO with support from each local authority.

The five authorities in partnership with the ORC in this agreement are Dunedin City Council, Central Otago District Council, Clutha District Council, Waitaki District Council and QLDC.

Although this structure has been in place for the past six years, there has been no formal agreement between the ORC and the five Otago territorial authorities until now.

History and purpose of CDEM

As required under the Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act 2002, the Otago CDEM  Group was created in 2003 as a joint standing committee of local territorial authorities.

Following a review in 2016, it was decided that Otago CDEM’s operational responsibilities would be delivered by a single unit of civil defence career professionals, EMO, which would be developed and controlled equally by each council.

The purpose of CDEM is to sustainably manage hazards for the safety of the public and the protection of property.

To achieve this CDEM works with communities to assess and manage acceptable levels of risk, identifying and implementing cost-effective risk reduction and monitoring and reviewing the process.

It also provides planning, at a national and local level, prepares for emergencies, and enables  response and recovery strategies in the event of an emergency. 

There are four civil defence centres in Wānaka: Lake Wānaka Centre (89 Ardmore St); Wānaka Recreation Centre (Three Parks); Mount Aspiring College (Plantation Road); and Albert Town Tavern (Cnr Kingston St & SH6).

Community Response Plans have been created by QLDC civil defence staff for Wānaka; Hāwea and Hāwea Flat; and Makarora.

PHOTO: Wānaka App