Background
The plan was developed by MCDEM and key stakeholders including representatives from CDEM Groups, local authorities, emergency services, government agencies, and lifeline utilities, and was made under sections 39(1) and 45(b) of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002. The purpose of the Plan is to state and provide for the hazards and risks to be managed at the national level and the CDEM arrangements necessary to meet those hazards and risks. The Plan also provides support to the management of local emergencies.

The Plan gives effect to the principle of supporting the management of and recovery from emergencies in the community and provides the framework for that support from the national level, to the regional level and again to the local level.

View a copy of the Plan
View or download a PDFcopy of the Plan here

Review of the National CDEM Plan
A project is being undertaken to review New Zealand’s National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan in accordance with the provisions set out in section 46 of the CDEM Act. The review provides us with an opportunity to refine our current national CDEM planning arrangements and to document them in a way that is clearly understood and endorsed by those agencies responsible for their delivery.

Project details
The project to review the Plan is being overseen by a Steering Committee comprising representation from the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Development, Department of Internal Affairs, New Zealand Police and the New Zealand Fire Service.

The project will include the following phases and general timeframes:

Review workstreams: A series of workstreams looking into different aspects of the Plan and its adequacy in relation to the knowledge gained from four years of being in place and including its use in exercises and events. (March – May 2010)

Review report: Following completion of the workstreams a review report will be drafted outlining the analysis undertaken and the resulting findings, conclusions and recommended amendments to be made to the Plan. (June 2010)
Download a copy of the review report (1MB PDF)

Amendment development: Recommended amendments detailed in the review report are to be worked through with relevant agencies to draft and agree amendments to be made to the Plan. (June – Aug 2010)

Sector consultation: Following initial agency sign off on their arrangements, the draft Plan will be circulated for sector consultation and feedback. Processing of feedback and subsequent amendments will again be worked through with the relevant agencies before attaining sign off by Chief Executives on the final revised Plan. (Sept – Nov 2010)

Government approval process: Following Chief Executive sign off by relevant agencies on their arrangements, the draft revised Plan will start on the government approval process. This process includes ODESC approval, Ministers approval of the revised Plan to be drafted by Parliamentary Counsels Office and to be publicly consulted on, drafting of the new Plan by Parliamentary Counsels Office, public consultation, consideration of the Plan by the House (90 days), Cabinet approval and recommendation of the revised Plan to the Governor General to be made by Order in Council. (Dec 2010 – June 2011)

Public consultation: The government approval process as set out above will include public consultation in accordance with the provisions set out in section 41 of the CDEM Act, which will provide another opportunity for agencies to provide feedback on the revised Plan. (Feb – April 2011)