- A review highlighted issues with communication, staffing, and emergency declaration processes in Southland.
- The response to Gore flooding and Bluecliffs erosion was affected by staff shortages.
- Recommendations included improving training, staffing, and emergency declaration procedures for future events.
An analysis of Southland’s most recent emergencies has revealed a range of issues in how they were handled.
On Friday, key stakeholders reviewed Emergency Management Southland’s response to two major events—the Gore flooding in September 2023 and the Bluecliffs erosion in February 2024. While no lives were lost, both situations required evacuations, and concerns were raised about the management of the Bluecliffs response.
The review was critical of communication, staffing levels, and the process for declaring emergencies. It noted that during the Gore flooding, the team was already struggling with unfilled positions and key personnel being on leave. This problem persisted into the Bluecliffs event, where the team was described as “greatly diminished.”
“This undoubtedly impacted the effectiveness of the responses and led to knowledge and process gaps within key functions,” the report stated.
Another key concern was the process for declaring emergencies, with feedback suggesting a lack of clarity about who was responsible for making those decisions. Communication also came under scrutiny, with many interviewees highlighting the absence of a “common operating picture” across different agencies.
Emergency Management Southland is made up of four councils—Gore District Council, Invercargill City Council, Southland District Council, and Environment Southland.
Gore mayor Ben Bell took issue with parts of the report, particularly suggestions that his council declared an emergency too soon during the Gore flooding. He believed the real issue was that the civil defence emergency management group was not prepared to support the declaration. Bell also pointed out that the previous emergency management group controller had not been involved in the review.
Southland mayor Rob Scott, who had previously been critical of how the Bluecliffs evacuation was handled, expressed confidence in the improvements being made. “It’s making really good progress towards being exactly where it needs to be,” he said.
The report also noted that emergency management controllers felt their role needed to be given more importance within organisations, rather than being an additional responsibility alongside other duties.
Among the recommendations were improvements in staffing levels, additional training, and the development of a consistent procedure for declaring emergencies.