August 14, 2020
Civil Defence widens safety net
Civil defence groups in Auckland, Northland and Waikato are mobilising to deal with whatever is thrown up by the return to COVID-19 restrictions.
Civil Defence Minister Peeni Henare says they will work with iwi and councils to make sure they have the right kinds of response.
He says a lot was learned during the March to May lockdown, when iwi and marae said they wanted to be part of the decision-making.
"This time around that's been changed significantly but we have a lot more work to do in the civil defence space. For example, whānau with disabilities and our Pacific whānau here in Tāmaki Makaurau, many of them don't understand what civil defence groups do, so we have a significant job to connect with them but more importantly to involve them," Mr Henare says.
He says there is a lot of anxiety in the community that needs to be addressed.
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