Coordinating hazard risk management
A range of statutes are applicable to the management of natural hazards in New Zealand. The integration of the functions and responsibilities required under each of these statutes is key to developing an integrated approach to natural hazards. The following are some ways that territorial authorities can achieve greater integration.
The Building Act 2004
- Ensures that structural mitigation approved through the building consent process is consistent with the hazard approach set out in the applicant's RMA plans and, conversely, that those RMA plans are not inconsistent with the Building Code.
- Ensures that information collected for PIMs is recorded and stored in a hazards register and is made available for those preparing plans or assessing resource consents.
The Resource Management Act 1991
- Hazard information from PIMs and LIMs should be fed into a hazards register that is able to inform the preparation of plans.
- Information from resource consent applications should be collated and, if possible, checked, and then entered into a hazards register to assist those processing PIMs and LIMs, other resource consents, and the preparation of RMA plans and other council planning documents.
The Local Government Act 2002
- LTCCPs should take into account council hazard functions under the RMA and CDEM Acts.
- The LTCCP can be used as a way of coordinating and feeding hazard management plans into RMA policy statements and plans, council asset management plans, annual plans, and other documents such as reserve management plans.
The Local Government and Official Information Act 1987
- Ensures that the information collected for LIMs is stored in a central hazards register (or similar) and is available for the preparation of district and regional plans.
The CDEM Act 2002
- Ensures that the preparation of the RPS, regional plans and district plans takes account of the CDEM Group Plan and visa versa.
The coordination between the RMA and emergency management plans can be strengthened by involving policy staff in the review of the CDEM Group Plan and visa versa. The lessons learnt in this process will strengthen links between these two council functions and the staff involved in them.
It is important to encourage cooperation between emergency management and RMA staff and coordination of their hazard risk management approaches. Internal council governance structures for managing hazards (at officer and political levels) need to bridge RMA and emergency management specialisations. One way to achieve this is through an officers ' working group that advises on hazard issues across a council and region. For example, a Local Authority Hazards Liaison Group has been operating within the Auckland Region since 1997, and regional council officers with hazards expertise work with territorial authorities within the Waikato Region to identify hazards risk for individual developments in the region.
Within a local authority
Knowledge changes over time as the information regarding hazards improves and is updated. It is important for local authorities to identify how this information is passed on to staff. This is a particular issue where the turnover of staff assessing proposed developments is high or where important information is obtained while on the job. One way to improve staff knowledge of issues is through the development and implementation of hazard guidelines for staff which cover the use of hazard registers, GIS and databases, and external data sets. Staff should be trained to increase their awareness of the guidelines and to understand their role in managing natural hazards. A framework for capturing, storing and retrieving data should consider:
- who is responsible for the content of the database/register
- how data is collected and captured
- when and what information is included
- how information can be consolidated
- how, and to whom, the information will be distributed or communicated.
Once a framework is implemented, staff should ensure their knowledge of a particular site is included. The Auckland Regional Council has developed hazard guidelines aimed at improving the way information about hazards is used to make decisions about assessing and treating risks. The principles established in these guidelines can be adopted for use in other regions.
Local authorities can also improve internal hazard management integration by:
- assigning responsibility for hazard management to a specific position or department
- improving the connections between policy development and policy implementation
- improving the knowledge and awareness of staff and elected members through education
- involving other departments (for example, engineering, planning, and resource management) in hazard management activities.
