Storm relief funding ‘failures’ slammed

A Southern council says it feels ‘‘nothing but disappointment’’ with the Department of Internal Affairs, as it continues to await emergency relief funding following last October’s catastrophic storms.

In a bluntly worded letter sent to department officials on Friday and shared with the Otago Daily Times, Clutha District Mayor Jock Martin criticised ‘‘process failures’’ by the ministry in administering its Emergency Natural Disaster Relief Fund.

‘‘I am writing to express my dissatisfaction on behalf of the Clutha District Council and its ratepayers regarding the process failures we have experienced in our dealings with [the DIA] following the state of emergency declared in our district due to the significant weather event in October 2025.

‘‘We were informed that our council could potentially access $500,000 and were instructed to provide detailed budgets which outlined the proposed use of these funds. Our team worked diligently to prepare this documentation, ensuring we were shovel-ready.

‘‘By March, close to six months after the weather event, we were informed the [fund] had been put on hold. As of today, we have not received any funding/assistance and not to mention the countless hours our staff dedicated to this process ... at such a stressful time, which has resulted in nothing but disappointment.’’

Mr Martin said the council’s ‘‘frustration’’ had been caused by miscommunication, and apparent mismanagement of the process.

‘‘From December to January, we were asked to update some information ... which we completed promptly. However, following these updates, communication regarding the status of our funding went silent. Despite our repeated inquiries, the responses we received were often confusing and lacked clarity on timelines and next steps.

‘‘The failures we encountered in DIA’s processes reflect poorly on the agency. It is evident that staff may have been ill-informed or lacked the requisite knowledge and skills to effectively manage this situation.’’

In a statement yesterday, the DIA apologised for the delays.

‘‘DIA is aware of concerns raised by [the council]. This fund is currently under an independent review after the minister raised concerns around the Lottery Grants system, including this fund. All applications for this fund, including the application from Clutha, are on hold.

‘‘The department apologises to Clutha District Council and the other applicants. We will be engaging with all applicants, including Clutha, to ensure communication is improved.’’

An estimated 150,000 tonnes of trees fell during the October storms. The event cost the Clutha District Council $1m.