Mike's Minute: A reality check for the Government on climate hit areas

We end the week with a reality check. 

I was a bit underwhelmed by the Government's response to the last couple of week's weather events. 

$2 million is not a lot of money, which in a way is good because it indicates the damage isn't that bad. 

The damage is that bad. It's just the big stuff, the roads and bridges and infrastructure, is being paid for out of contingency budgets in various Government's departments. 

Fine. But as I asked, and got no real answer to, is that the plan, is it? 

Build it, watch it get destroyed, patch it up, watch it get destroyed and patch it up? It's not my favoured plan. 

I asked Penk, Mitchell, and Luxon what the big picture is. There is one, they reassure us. Not sure of a timeframe, which is political speak for "it's on the never-never". 

Yet in the Post from AA Insurance to the Buller District Mayor is the news they will be suspending cover for the region. No new business in the postcode of 7825, Westport, Carters Beach, and Cape Foulwind. 

This is where this goes. Just how many letters from how many insurance companies do you want before the big calls need to be made? 

Matata should have been the red flag and that started 20 years ago. Already Wellington, for other reasons, has insurance issues. 

The Upper Hunter Valley in New South Wales has been dealing with it for years. Even if you can get cover, it's at least $50,000 a year. 

There are, rightly or wrongly, sadly or not, chunks of the country that look problematic. Ignoring them or relying on an ever-increasing contingency budget is not going to make them any less so. 

The Government.is always the last port of call in crisis. The taxpayer will always be the one asked to provide the accommodation and bridge and food when the climate tips life upside down. 

Federated Farmers said it's not acceptable to have State Highway 2 to Waioweka cut off. Correct, it isn't. 

But the Government's answers are more band aids. AA Insurance's answer is no more cover. 

One of them is missing the point. One of them is showing you how this unfolds.     

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