So Hipkins can’t be blamed for trying to seize the moment. Regardless of whether you think the climate really is changing - or whether you think a changing climate was the reason for the slip - you can’t debate the cost. Climate change or not, we are forking out huge amounts of money to fix up what the weather is doing to this country. Some $4 billion for the Auckland Anniversary Day floods and Cyclone Gabrielle within weeks of each other in 2023. The recovery efforts for those lost during a landslip at Mount Maunganui continue around the clock, with teams working through thick, muddy conditions.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 01, 2026 01:01 UTC