Julie Greene appointed to Gov’t Inquiry

In an assignment of considerable significance to our region (and the rest of NZ), Hawke’s Bay’s Julie Greene has been appointed as one of the four members of the panel conducting the Government Inquiry into the Response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. 

The Inquiry is chaired by Sir Jerry Mateparae and includes Rangimarie Hunia and John Ombler.

As Gazetted …

“The purpose of this Inquiry is to ensure that the design of New Zealand’s emergency management system is appropriate to support readiness for, and responses to, future emergency events (such as landslides, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic activity, floods and storms) by identifying lessons from the 2023 North Island severe weather events.

“In order to achieve its purpose, the Inquiry will inquire into whether:

• the readiness activities and response to the North Island severe weather events operated as needed under current emergency management system design and if not, why not and what would enable future responses to operate as needed;
• the current design of the emergency management system enabled central and local government (including CDEM Groups, Crown Entities and State-owned Enterprises) and other organisations to respond as expected during the response phase; and
• the system improvements already underway will be sufficient to address the identified challenges or whether additional improvements are required;
  • this specifically includes whether the changes proposed in the Emergency Management Bill relating to the role of Māori in the emergency management system will adequately address the concerns raised by Māori in relation to the North Island severe weather event response.”

More detail on the mandate of the Inquiry is here.

Greene’s professional career has been centred in the food production sector. She brings twenty-five years of horticultural experience in export and domestic sales, logistics, IP protection and administration, including having served as Agricultural Manager for Heinz Watties, NZ. She has an honours degree in Horticulture Science and post graduate diploma in Business Administration and is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

Asked what insight she will offer to the Inquiry, Greene commented: “I bring firsthand experience and understanding of how these severe weather events have impacted rural communities and the production industries in Hawke’s Bay, and the impact on whanau and families.” 

The Inquiry formally started on 31 July. But Greene, appointed July 10, told BayBuzz groundwork had already been underway  “… working through the Terms of Reference and planning the next eight months of work. The Secretariat is also moving  quickly to recruit and respond to the needs of the Inquiry.” Adding, “The time requirement is significant, as is the kaupapa, and as such it will be my priority for the duration.”

Great to have a Hawke’s Bay voice at the centre of this review.

The Inquiry must complete and provide its recommendations to Kieran McAnulty, Minister for Emergency Management no later than 26 March 2024.