Clive Bibby: Once were Warriors

Kiwis of all shapes and sizes will no doubt identify with this message from the provinces.

I say that because our region is not the only one that has felt the full force of the climate change induced destructive power and no doubt it won’t be the last.

But because of our position at the most exposed NE part of the North Island, we do appear to be more vulnerable on a more regular basis.

Clive Bibby: Only a visionary response will save us from ourselves

Although this column was written against a background of mainly local events, it should prove acceptable reading for those who live in other parts of the country where they have endured similar betrayals and malpractices by those who promised to serve all of the people, all of the time.

So much has happened since Cyclones’ Gabrielle and Hale delivered what might be for some, the killer blow to all the hopes and dreams of decent, law abiding, selfless contributors to this region’s and the nation’s economy.

Stuart Smith: Coordination, Local Resources and No Red Tape

The scar that Cyclone Gabrielle has left on New Zealand far exceeds the physical damage, it is hard to comprehend the devastation and loss of life and my heart goes out to the families who have lost loved ones.

There are some who have lost their homes, and their livelihood, and it will be a mammoth undertaking to get them resettled and back on their feet again.

Matthew Birchall: Infrastructure recovery

Cyclone Gabrielle has battered New Zealand’s infrastructure.

Roads, bridges and powerlines across large swathes of the North Island have been decimated. A substation has been flooded. And thousands of homes, farms and businesses lie caked in mud and silt.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson has suggested that the rebuild could cost $13 billion. That rivals the initial estimate for the 2011 Christchurch Earthquake.

And it means that the fallout from Gabrielle will be felt for many years to come. The government needs to get its response right.