New Zealand’s weather is turning rogue, and the National-led government seems content to sit on its hands. The recent flooding in the Tasman District, which claimed one life and left homes, businesses, and livelihoods underwater, is yet another stark reminder of the escalating climate crisis.
This deluge, described by locals as unprecedented, saw the Motueka River breach its banks and State Highway 6 close due to slips and flooding. The government’s response, or lack thereof, betrays a disturbing indifference to the growing frequency and severity of such extreme weather events, driven by climate change.
As New Zealand grapples with an ever-wetter, wilder weather pattern, the coalition’s inaction on flood resilience, emissions reduction, and basic preparedness is nothing short of reckless.
On Friday, 1 News reported:
A farm owner in Tasman says severe weather which has "smashed" her farm overnight is "heartbreaking" for her business.
A state of emergency in place for part of Marlborough, as well as Nelson and Tasman as heavy rain batters the regions. Marlborough District Council has asked residents to avoid all travel unless absolutely necessary.
Wild Oats farm owner Kirsty Lalich told 1News it wasn't the first time her farm on Pretty Bridge Rd had experienced flooding, but said she'd "never, ever seen it like this".
The Tasman floods are not an isolated incident. NIWA’s updated storm rainfall profiles and Nelson City Council’s flood modelling show that climate change is amplifying the intensity and frequency of extreme weather. Since 2018, New Zealand has seen over 30 local states of emergency due to flooding, more than double the number from the previous five years.
The 2022 Nelson floods were a warning. However, here we are, three years later, with the same region battered again and the new government dragging its feet. Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it’s hammering our communities now, and the National-led coalition seems wilfully blind to the urgency.
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell’s response was emblematic of this apathy. On May 26, 2025, Nelson Mayor Nick Smith, who declared a local state of emergency alongside Tasman District Council, spoke with Mitchell about the escalating crisis. Mitchell downplayed the event, stating the threshold for a national state of emergency hadn’t been met and that the storm would likely pass. Tell that to the family of the person killed while clearing flood damage.
Yesterday, the NZ Herald reported:
A person has died after being hit by a tree while clearing floodwaters near Nelson.
Acting Nelson Bays area commander Senior Sergeant Martin Tunley said the incident happened at Wai-iti, southeast of Wakefield, this morning.
“Around 9.40am, emergency services were called to a property on State Highway 6 after a person was reportedly hit by a tree while clearing flood damage.”
Despite efforts by emergency services, the person died at the scene, Tunley said.
Mitchell’s dismissive stance, coupled with his absence from meaningful action, underscores a government more interested in optics rather than saving lives. A national declaration could have unlocked critical resources, but instead, locals were left to fend for themselves.
Associate Transport Minister James Meager’s silence is equally damning. When approached by media about the flooding and repeated calls for a Nelson weather radar, Meager didn’t even bother to comment. This radar, which could provide precise, real-time data to predict severe storms, has been a priority for Nelson and Tasman councils since 2010. MetService has acknowledged its value but noted it lacks Crown funding, a decision that rests with the government.
The public, caught off-guard by the storm’s ferocity, had little warning due to reliance on Wellington’s distant radar, which is obstructed by terrain. This failure to invest in basic forecasting infrastructure is a direct betrayal of communities facing increasingly volatile weather.
Worse still, the National-led government has slashed funding critical to flood resilience. In Budget 2024, it returned $3.2 billion of the $6 billion National Resilience Plan, established in 2023 to bolster infrastructure against extreme weather. This gutting of funds, intended for medium and long-term projects, leaves regions like Nelson Tasman vulnerable.
The coalition’s broader climate record is equally dismal: it has watered down emissions reduction targets, scrapped the Clean Car Discount, and prioritised fossil fuel interests over renewable energy. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s government seems to view climate adaptation as an inconvenience rather than a necessity.
The Nelson Tasman floods are a clarion call. New Zealanders deserve a government that takes climate change seriously, through robust emissions cuts, investment in forecasting tools like the Nelson radar, and restored funding for resilience projects.
Instead, we’re left with a coalition that downplays disasters, ignores media, and leaves communities to drown. The tragedy in Wai-iti and the chaos in Nelson Tasman region demand accountability. It’s time for the government to wake up before the next deluge washes away more lives and livelihoods.
