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NZ Parliament Emergency Management Bill No.2

Posted in Government; Tagged Government, Emergency management, Accessibility; Posted 2 months ago by DPA Less than a minute to read

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To: NZ Parliament Governance and Administration Select Committee 
Date: February 2026

 

Purpose

The purpose of this submission is to comment and make recommendations on the Government’s Emergency Management Bill No.2 

The legislation aims to reform New Zealand’s civil defence and emergency management systems following reviews into its shortcomings following the Cyclone Gabrielle and North Island flooding events of early 2023. 

A major policy priority for DPA has been the need for advocacy on improving civil defence and emergency management outcomes and accessibility for disabled people and this submission forms part of that advocacy work. 

Summary of DPA submission

DPA supported the Bill being passed with amendments. 

DPA supported the key principles of the Bill including: 

 

  • the consideration of all hazards (both natural and human caused);  
  • taking an end-to-end risk management approach – managing the risks from hazards according to the “4 Rs” of risk reduction, readiness, response and recovery;  
  • that all parts of society should play a role with risk management being undertaken at the community level; and  
  • the recognition of New Zealand’s international emergency management obligations – for the disability community, this means that the Bill should give effect to Article 11 of the UNCRPD on the need to support disabled people in situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies.  

 

Recommendations 

DPA made a series of recommendations in the submission, which primarily included these: 

 

1. Clauses covering the procedures for preparing, amending or replacing national and regional emergency plans are amended to require that these plans address how the needs of disabled people and other disproportionately affected population groups will be met in emergencies and that disabled people and representatives of disproportionately affected communities are consulted with on the development of those plans at all levels.  

 

2. That the Bill is amended to include a clause requiring accessibility to be built into emergency communications, processes, and infrastructure to meet NZ obligations under the UNCRPD Article 9. 

Other recommendations made in the submission included the need to raise the level of Civil Defence payments in disasters; specific recognition of Te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi; that information about emergency management plans are made available in NZ Sign Language and other accessible formats; that disabled people are involved in all facets of emergency planning at local and national level; and that the definition of essential infrastructure to be protected in emergencies extends to disability support services and emergency shelter and accommodation, etc. 

Download

DPA Submission 2602 NZ Parliament Emergency Management Bill No.2 (DOCX)

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