Tairawhiti LAC meets for first time

We reached a significant milestone last week with the first meeting of the Fire and Emergency Tairawhiti Local Advisory Committee. 

Local Advisory Committees (LACs) are responsible for providing independent advice from a local perspective to the Fire and Emergency Board to inform local emergency planning. They will work closely with a wide range of people to do this, including the local Fire and Emergency management team. 

Tairawhiti LAC chair Molly Pardoe said the committee’s first face-to-face meeting was a tangible step forward for the committees and for Fire and Emergency. 

“Having the Tairāwhiti Local Advisory Committee meet and come together with local leaders and the National LAC team of Fire and Emergency was a brilliant experience – especially with it being hosted on Hauiti marae. 

“We discussed what risks, needs and issues there might be in Tairāwhiti, and also talked over who we can engage with in the community to help form our advice. We’re all looking forward to learning and hearing more from our tangata whenua and working with Fire and Emergency New Zealand.” 

Fire and Emergency Area Manager for Tairawhiti, Charlie Turei said it was exciting to be part of the first meeting. 

“Fire and Emergency is committed to ensuring we are planning for and meeting the needs of our communities. That’s why this meeting is an exciting milestone for us. With the establishment of the Tairawhiti LAC, the local community now has a strong voice that can provide our Board with advice that will ultimately allow us to better serve our communities.” 

Wider LAC community engagement is expected to begin in early 2021. 

More information about our first seven Local Advisory Committees in Northland, Tairāwhiti, Hawke’s Bay, Chatham Islands, the West Coast, Marlborough, and Otago is available on our website(external link) 

Front row L to R: Donette Kupenga; Louise Bennett (Deputy Chair); Molly Pardoe (Chair); Alice Kibble.

Middle row L to R: Kereama Katu; Ray Dever; Lucy Chamberlain (National Manager LACs); Charlie Turei; Te Rangi Collis; Maui Tongohau; Piki Thomas.

Back row L to R: David Guard and Dean Latus.