Who is Legislation For?

I guess I knew the answer but today I had it confirmed that the rigidity of legislation has been a major hinderance to a helpful response to Gabrielle.

It is not just Gabrielle but any major event that impacts on ratepayers. It will be the case following the recent  tornado in Mangawhai. 

Legislation is not only a hinderance it is also a community killer.

I haven't had time to check but I suspect Christchurch had the same issues following the earthquake and there will be other events around the country with similar outcomes.

One would think that a Government and Councils would act to support and help people and communities in times of natural disasters.

They do in a way that is limited .Why?

There are many fingers in the pie.

What has been obvious since Gabrielle is the massive variation in peoples situations. Every neighbour has a different story. 

It was an eyeopener to me when comparing notes with fellow flood survivors.

Not that it was a fact but levelling act of a disaster brings everyone down to a point where it doesn't matter what you have in the bank you are all facing a disaster. A major event in ones life.

That brings me back to legislation and its place in the system.

The bureaucrats rush off to their desks and consult all the legislation that pertains to an emerging situation.

Ah, we can do this and we can do that but no, we can't do this and we can't do that.

The rules are the rules and yes we must have rules.

The problem is the rules in some cases are not fit for purpose. Further the authorities are hell bent on

upholding the law. Even more complications arise when there are rules that are inconsistent and conflicting between involved authorities.

As an elected person I never had to confront the difficulties of a disaster but I am sure I would have been asking hard questions around any relative legislation. Faults become exposed and need analysing.

I now have confirmed some of the legislation that,  I believe , has  had a negative effect on ratepayers and their handling by authorities following Gabrielle.

Surely someone has challenged these legislative negatives before?

The current legislation allows Government and Councils to escape responsibility and to undermine ratepayers in their quest to get their lives back.

This has to be  wrong.