Source: Green Party
The newly released report on the South Dunedin Future Programme must be a wake-up call for our Government.
“Climate delay is the new denial. Failure to act now will see the future of communities like South Dunedin swamped in floods,” says the Green Party’s Dunedin Issues spokesperson, Scott Willis.
“The local community, iwi, researchers and both local councils have all pulled together to create a plan for a future we can all be excited for. All we need is for the Government to back us. Today’s report has to be a wake-up call for a Government that has been asleep to the climate crisis for too long.
“The report paints a clear picture of what climate inaction could cost our communities. It also highlights the need for the Government’s climate adaptation legislation to be enduring, anchored in Te Tiriti partnership and based on the aspirations of local communities.
“We’ve seen the damage of floods time and time again, the latest being last year where water was literally lapping at our doorsteps in Dunedin.
“The Government rejected support for this pilot back in 2024, but as we saw as recently as October, the risks haven’t magically gone away. They now have a second chance to do the right thing for our local communities.
“Local councils have invested millions of dollars into this project, and instigated deep, rich community and iwi engagement over the past few years. All the government needs to do is support it.
“Doing so would mean more than just resilience for Dunedin, as important as that is. It would also mean creating a workable blueprint for how central government, local government and communities can work together to safeguard our collective future.
“We must act now to ensure we future proof our city, and mitigate the impacts of our changing climate,” says Scott Willis.
