Help available for Gita’s rural victims
Farmers picking up the pieces after ex-cyclone Gita could get extra help after the storm was declared a medium-scale adverse event.
Minister for Agriculture and Rural Communities Damien O’Connor has announced the damage caused by former Gita in parts of the Tasman district and Taranaki meets criteria for the classification which triggers funding for recovery efforts.
‘‘These two regions bore the brunt of Cyclone Gita,’’ O’Connor said.
The local Rural Advisory Group has been working alongside Civil Defence and Emergency Management to visit affected farms and build up a picture of the impact and path to recovery.
The Fonterra Emergency Response Team has been helping clear fallen trees as a priority.
‘‘A lot of work is needed to make farms safe, rebuild infrastructure, and clean-up the mess.
‘‘MPI is working with the Ministry of Social Development to confirm if Enhanced Task Force Green teams will be set up to help with some of the clean-up,’’ O’COnnor said.
In the Tasman region, Civil Defence and Emergency Management, the local Rural Support Trust and Federated Farmers have been working together to assess welfare needs and impacts for farmers and growers in the worstaffected areas of Motueka Valley, Riwaka and Marahau.
‘‘Travelling around Tasman immediately after the cyclone the early impacts were clear, but a week later there’s more damage everywhere you look.
‘‘In this area it was flooding from the storm, as much as wind damage,’’ O’Connor said.
‘‘Silt and debris have been washed into farm and orchard land, and orchardists are working to urgently clear silt away from apple and other production crops.’’
While the closure of State Highway 60 over the Takaka Hill added to the challenges, Fonterra was able to continue to collect milk and to operate its Takaka plant, so dairy farms could get through the immediate aftermath.
The Minister of Revenue Stuart Nash welcomed the activation of Inland Revenue’s income equalisation discretions for this event, and Inland Revenue would also consider hardship situations. Affected farmers should contact their accountant in the first instance.
Help available following the adverse event classification could include recovery coordination, pastoral support, community and technology transfer events and flexibility with the Income Equalisation Scheme.
Assistance from Enhanced Task Force Green and Rural Assistance Payments are available, subject to approval by the Minister for Social Development.