Speech Notes
His Worship The Mayor Of North Shore City,
Mr George Wood, JP

DATE: Tuesday April 3, 2007
TIME: 7.30 AM – 10.30AM
EVENT: Auckland Engineering Lifelines Group
Annual Breakfast Seminar
VENUE: Vodafone, Viaduct Harbour

YOUR CONTACT: Lisa Roberts 021 379 130

Acknowledgments:
o Russell Stanners, Vodafone CEO
o Professor Tom O’Rourke, guest speaker
o AELG sponsors
o AELG members
o Other distinguished guests

o Good morning all and a warm welcome to the fifth annual meeting of the Auckland Engineering Lifelines Group. I’m certainly proud to be the patron of this organaiation which plays such an important role in Auckland

o It is good to be here today, surrounded by great minds who share the same understanding, the understanding that we are here to protect our region’s infrastructure in the event of a disaster.

o We have all recently observed the experience of the lahar flowing from the crater lake of Mt Ruapehu. Expected to happen at anytime, the minimal damage and zero fatality rate of this event is an inspiration to a group such as this which prides itself on being prepared.

o Fifty or so years ago, without groups like AELG, an event like this may not have run so smoothly.

o As Russell also alluded to, the past year has made us all aware of the impacts of global warming on our land. This highlights the importance of sound business continuity and civil defence planning in our region.

o Back in 2004 after the local body elections I voiced concerns about the preparedness of the emergency management/civil defence organisation in the Auckland region. Exercise JAFFA indicated that Auckland had a way to go to get our systems up to scratch.

o The KESTREL Group report then suggested changes that had to occur if the CDEMG was to be prepared for all eventualities.

o I’m pleased to see now that there is a momentum to place CDEM on a positive footing. A party visited New York, New Orleans and San Francisco to get state-of-the-art ideas on how an organisation structure should look. A properly funded profession planning team will now be set up under the ARC.

o Things are certainly now moving in the right direction across the local government of the Auckland region. This certainly makes me very happy.

o Since its inception in 2000, the AELG has continued on with the great work started by the Auckland Engineering Lifelines Project. Its primary purpose of course being to increase the resilience and response capability of our region.

o You will hear a lot this morning about the valuable work that the group has completed this year. I note that the benefits of this group have been felt much wider than the Auckland region, with a number of projects being used as best practice options for other NZ Lifelines organisations.

o This value and information sharing has increased the solid relationships developed around the country, with close collaboration within existing utility sector groups, and the establishment of many new sector groups to support AELG’s work.

o Alongside this nationwide collaboration, it is exceptional in this circumstance to observe the private sector coming together and putting aside commercial issues for the greater public good. Without these close knit relationships, our civil defence preparedness would not be where it is today.

o The incidents we have faced in the past year alone highlight the complex inter-dependencies between utilities, limited regional resources and their function in supporting vital community communication in the event of an emergency.

o We have been lucky that incidents we have faced in Auckland so far have lasted only a number of hours, compared to days or even months. Next time we may not be so lucky.

o The work of AELG helps to ensure that when a disaster comes, the region will be as resilient as possible, and Lifelines will be well prepared to meet the critical needs of the community.

o I’m sure you will all get great value out of today’s seminar, whether it be an opportunity to network with like-minded people, or share an idea or two about the work of AELG and its future.

o I would like to take this opportunity to thank all involved in the AELG for dedicating your time to this common good. I congratulate you all on getting together and putting such a robust organisation in place.

o I would also like to thank Brian Potter the previous chair, for all his hard work and unfailing dedication and effort in making the AELG what it is today.

o I ask you all to join me in giving a warm welcome to our new chair, Kevin Loadsby of Telstra Clear. I wish you well in leading this sturdy group forward into the future.

Ends

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