Resources for elected officials

Find important information that will help elected officials to navigate and understand the Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) system of New Zealand.

Useful links

Factsheets and guidance

Government financial support factsheets

How does Civil Defence Emergency Management work?

This 2018 scribed video looks at the strategic and operational elements of the Civil Defence Emergency Management system of New Zealand from a national, regional, local and personal perspective.

Produced by Nelson Tasman CDEM Group.

Guidance for elected officials (July 2019)

Hear from mayors about their experience working in the civil defence emergency management system. This 2019 video is organised around the 4 Rs (reduction, readiness, response and recovery) commonly used to describe New Zealand's integrated approach to civil defence emergency management.

Find more quotes from mayors

Produced by the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management

Webinar: CDEM guide for Mayors and elected officials (2017)

This 2017 webinar is designed to support your role during an emergency. It includes, understanding emergencies, expectations, the CDEM Act, declarations and powers, and more.

Produced by LGNZ

Key contacts, resources and approaches

Each CDEM Group has key contacts, resources and approaches that can support you understanding what emergency management looks like in your local area and this is captured in a strategic document called the CDEM Group Plan. For more information on CDEM priorities elected offcials should engage with its local CDEM Group and Council.

Find your CDEM Group

I think it’s important for an incoming Council to become very familiar with the people within the Council that will be stepping up at a time of emergency, to be really clear about the roles that you will undertake as elected members. I guess especially Mayors because you end up being the spokesperson for the city, or the district. There is really no one else who has that authority to speak on behalf of the city and people will seek you out and look for comment from you.

Lianne Dalziel, Christchurch City Mayor

I think that the really important thing in emergencies is the relationships between agencies and between people, and you have to build those relationships before the emergency. Those relationships are both between elected members and people in the community, but also between staff, Council staff that are involved and the agencies that are involved in emergencies, and say, for instance, the voluntary sector who are very, very helpful in an emergency. But if those relationships aren’t already built you’re floundering when the emergency happens.

Dave Cull, Dunedin City Mayor

Climate change is happening. You need to start working with those communities that are vulnerable. You need to start looking and working with the communities. This is not about rectifying it tomorrow or the next year. This is about what do we need to do over the next ten, fifteen, twenty years around climate change. And I think that’s a challenge for every Council in the country.

John Tregidga, Hauraki District Mayor

First of all be prepared. We’re investing now to make sure that we try to prevent and mitigate as much loss or destruction as possible. Make sure people understand why you’re doing what you’re doing. Explain to them if you invest now you’ll save money in the future. Work alongside people and collaborate with them as best as possible.

Justin Lester, Wellington City Mayor

The community meetings were vital; we had community meetings daily to get information out to people, otherwise people are isolated. People thought we didn’t care but we couldn’t actually get there, you had to fly there. So that was a real challenge, because we’ve got lots of little hamlets of little pockets of people that we couldn’t communicate with in the beginning.

Winston Gray, Kaikoura District Mayor

Iwi are thinking of the whole community, this is their community, they’re not just thinking of the Māori community, they’re thinking of the whole community. During Pigeon Valley Fires they worked extremely long days and long hours, they helped at media conferences, at public meetings, it was just awesome. And it’s made a real change to the relationship between myself and our Council and our local iwi.

Richard Kempthorne, Tasman District Mayor

There’s a sense of anxiety but there’s also a sense of absolute confidence in the fact that I’ve got a great team behind me. I would really encourage Mayors throughout the country, don’t try to do this alone! There’s no doubt about it - these are lonely roles. Make friends with your fellow Mayors and your Regional Council chairs and stand together for your region.

Rachel Reese, Nelson City Mayor

I think the challenge with the recovery is actually maintaining the momentum that everyone had when you’re going through the emergency itself. That’s such high energy and high input, however the recovery stage has a different pace to it - you need people who can work at that separate pace. It’s not necessarily the same people who operate best in both environments. And communication is key!