Otago's regional council is calling on the government to strengthen telecommunications, and back local radio, in the wake of the infrastructure breakdowns in last month’s wind event.
The Otago region is still grappling with the damage caused by the wind, which reached 150kmh and caused widespread infrastructure failure across the lower South Island, with more than 25,000 homes losing power, some for more than a week.
States of emergency were declared in the Southland and Clutha districts as fallen trees damaged powerlines and blocked roads, isolating rural areas.
Communications and water supplies were also disrupted as backup systems failed, revealing issues with regional resilience.
"We understand that telecommunications providers have made progress on improving network redundancy, but recent events show that current backup standards remain insufficient, particularly in rural and remote areas.
"Most cell towers rely on battery power for only a few hours, and generator deployment is logistically difficult when road access is limited."
The letter asks Mr Goldsmith to consider a wide range of measures to protect the telecommunications network from similar upheaval in the next major weather event.
Proposals included introducing a regulatory minimum standard for cell tower power backup systems to ensure networks remain operational for an extended period in emergencies.
Another supported a transition plan, backed by government funding or incentives, to upgrade existing infrastructure across rural regions and recognising mobile communications infrastructure as a critical lifeline.
"Councillors from across Otago support this call and believe that improving telecommunications resilience is an essential part of building climate and disaster readiness in our regions."
The council also noted the importance of local radio broadcasting during such events.
"Many rural areas rely on community radio for updates when digital and mobile systems fail.
"We ask that the government consider ways to support the viability of local radio stations, recognising their essential role in ... emergencies."
The council will discuss the letter tomorrow.
