As the scale of the disaster of Cyclone Gabrielle on the East Coast of the North Island is becoming more and more known, people in the region are starting to wonder whether the Government response will be like the response in the US to Hurricane Katrina, which ultimately cost George W. Bush an election, or will it be like the Christchurch earthquake response which helped John Key win an election.
The people on the ground who are struggling to deal with everything are starting to think it will be like Hurricane Katrina.
Some key examples come to mind. On Sunday there were twelve helicopters sitting on the tarmac at Napier airport doing nothing because no one had tasked them to do anything.
There are sailors sitting aboard ships that were sent to help out only to return two hours later as no one had anything for them to do.
Locals are getting stuck in and doing things, only for Government officials to turn up to tell them to stop.
Crime is out of control and rural communities are arming themselves and telling anyone who they think may cause trouble that there will be no warnings.
Reports from our Navy sources aboard ships off the coast of Napier are telling us that there are many bodies in the sea between Gisborne and Napier and that the real death toll is going to be hundreds, if not thousands. The Navy have fifty assault rifles on board their ships but have been told that they will not be out doing patrols as not everyone knows how to use them.
The 21000 litres of water delivered to Gisborne by the Manawanui on Wednesday is being on sold to locals instead of given away.
Meanwhile, only two politicians have shown any semblance of leadership, David Seymour and Winston Peters who have simultaneously requested that the Minister of Defence invoke Section 9 of the Defence Act authorising the military to assist Police in an emergency, giving much-needed firepower and force to help stop looting and keep control of law and order.
Christopher Luxon issued a pathetic response to the same issue stating that National wants to see a law change doubling penalties for looting and sanctions for gathering in public. How does any of that stop stealing, robbery and looting? It was a word-soup response to an immediate crisis. National needs a slap. “We are the party of law and order.” Pfft. Luxon’s ‘united front’ with Labour politics is a joke.
The Government sent 600 Police to Parliament to bash innocent protestors but has only sent 100 Police to assist people on the East Coast.
Desperate people do desperate things and if the Government won’t or can’t help then they’ll help themselves.
This is a monumental disaster, make no mistake. The question locals in the Hawkes Bay and East coast are now asking is whether it will be a Hurricane Katrina response from this Labour Government or a Christchurch Earthquake response.
The jury is out, but leaning heavily in favour of a Hurricane Katrina response.
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