(Picture caption: New Minister for Pacific Peoples Barbara Edmonds (left) and Secretary for Pacific Peoples Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone address Pacific peoples affected by flooding at the Pacific Response Hub in Mangere, on Friday.)
When unprecedented rainfall brought devastating floods, tragedy and huge disruptions to the upper North Island, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) sprang into action to assist its Pacific communities in the different regions.
While an Emergency Evacuation Centre (EEC) was set up in Mangere Bridge for those in urgent need of assistance, MPP mobilised an internal Auckland Flood Response working group to reach out to groups and communities to see where support was needed most going forward.
The group began to connect people with the appropriate services which could help the families, organisations and businesses hit hardest.
It supported Southseas Health Care Trust activating of the Pacific Response Hub in Mangere, along with partners, Vaka Tautua, Pasefika Family Health Group, Pacific Homecare, Siaola, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Education and Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People, with more to come.
The Hub aims to create a physically accessible, culturally appropriate hub to fulfil the requirements of Pacific families, in response to recent floods in the upper North Island.
It will provide a safe space and information in a variety of Pacific languages, in a physical space that allows for talanoa, and unites the community and support via cultural values.
Deputy Secretary of Regional Partnerships John Tuamoheloa led the MPP Auckland Flood Response group and says the Ministry has played a vital role in keeping Pacific communities informed and directing them to the services which could most likely assist them in such a trying time.
“We connected with the groups we regularly engage with in the various regions, and some of the stories we have heard have been really heart-breaking – businesses having to close on the back of COVID-19 affected years, and families who have no insurance and are left with nothing,” John says.
“We are doing what we can to assist those in-need and point them to various government agencies, social and health services providers and now towards the Pacific Response Hub which can help people access information services across the board.
“It has been one great big collaborative effort and we are there to support our people.”
Speaking from the Mangere EEC, Auckland Councillor Alf Filipaina says both the EEC and Hub play an essential role in supporting Pacific families to recover from the floods.
“The EEC is a Civil Defence centre for emergencies,” Councillor Filipaina says.
“We had 17 people sleep over the other night – some families had four to five kids in family – we are here for those urgently needing a roof over head and we will operate until the community say ‘thanks we are back on our feet’.
“The hub down the road set up South Seas is around what can be done to help families with the medium to long term recovery.
"What you see at this centre is meeting the emergency right now…then comes the recovery, getting our people all of the assistance."
Both centres are working alongside each other to achieve the same outcome – to see those Pacific affected by the floods to recover and thrive once more in the Auckland.
Visit the MPP website for detailed information on where to go for assistance with emergency housing, welfare, business support, health concerns, water and wastewater issues, power outages, road closures, Pacific translation services and more.