The Terms of Reference for the Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery Taskforce have been agreed by Cabinet, with the Taskforce's primary purpose to align locally led recovery plans with the work of government agencies and the private sector.

'Our response will ensure affected communities are at the centre of the decision making and that local voices are fed back to the Government through the Taskforce,” says Cyclone Recovery Minister Grant Robertson.

'The Taskforce will also oversee specialist groups of experts who will advise the Government on what is required for the recovery and how to improve resilience to climate change and severe weather in the future.”

The Taskforce is chaired by Sir Brian Roche. The membership will include representatives from business, local government, iwi and unions. These members will be finalised in the next week.

Expert sub-groups are being established for insurance and banking, utilities and telecommunications, and infrastructure, construction and roading.

The Taskforce covers all regions affected by the January and February floods and cyclone. Regional groupings from these regions will also be set up and report directly to the Taskforce.

The Taskforce will advise ministers on the prioritisation and sequencing of needs for each region and provide assurance that those needs are being met.

'Its initial focus will be on the immediate recovery but it will also lead on planning for future resilience, which will become its greater focus over time. This is similar to what happened in Queensland following the 2010/11 floods," says Robertson.

'Part of the Taskforce's work will cover issues to do with managed retreat, as well as other adaptation and resilience issues. Climate resilience will be a core objective of the recovery.

'We are committed to a locally-led recovery, supported by central government. The establishment of this Taskforce will ensure local perspectives are included, the recovery is coordinated and fits the needs of the affected regions,” says Robertson.