The new National Emergency Management Agency has become operational from today.

All of the existing functions and staff of the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management will transfer today into the new National Emergency Management Agency and the Ministry will cease to exist.

Civil Defence Minister Hon Peeni Henare announced the establishment of the new National Emergency Management Agency from December 1 2019.

The National Emergency Management Agency will be an autonomous departmental agency, hosted by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

The National Emergency Management Agency will assume all of the current responsibilities of the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 and National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan 2015.

Minister Henare welcomed the establishment of the National Emergency Management Agency as an important step in a significant programme of change for the emergency management system.

'The National Emergency Management Agency will provide strong, national leadership, putting people and their communities at the heart of our national emergency management system. The National Emergency Management Agency will help New Zealand better prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies by boosting the performance and capability of the system across all hazards and all risks,” says Peeni.

'Emergencies impact people and communities. They also impact property, critical infrastructure, economy and the environment. The National Emergency Management Agency will work together with central and local government, communities, iwi/Maori and the business sector to reduce those impacts.

'It will take a system-wide approach to reducing risk, strengthening readiness, and quickly and effectively responding to and recovering from emergencies.”

National Emergency Management Agency Chief Executive

The Deputy State Services Commissioner has appointed Carolyn Schwalger as the interim Chief Executive. Carolyn has been the Programme Director for the NEMA transition since July 2019.

Before this role, Carolyn held several senior positions across New Zealand's public sector, including the Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative at New Zealand's Permanent Mission to the UN and the Principal Capability Adviser and Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Sarah Stuart-Black will continue in the statutory role as the Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management, bringing her wealth of operational excellence, skills and relationships to NEMA in that role. Under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 (CDEM Act), the Chief Executive of NEMA and the Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management cannot be the same person. Therefore, Sarah will become the NEMA Deputy Chief Executive.

National Warnings and Advisories, including tsunami warnings

The National Emergency Management Agency will be responsible for issuing National Warnings and Advisories from the National Warning System from December 1 2019.

All agencies, including media, who currently receive National Warnings and Advisories will continue to do so. National Warnings and Advisories will also continue to be posted to the www.civildefence.govt.nz website and @NZCivilDefence on Twitter and Facebook.

Local emergency arrangements

The vast majority of emergencies are managed at the local level. This means the local council – or potentially other lead agencies, such as Police for an armed offender emergency, the Ministry for Primary Industries for a biosecurity or food safety emergency, or the Ministry of Health for a pandemic emergency – are in charge.

Local authorities, such as city, district and regional councils or unitary authorities, remain the primary agents responsible for civil defence emergency management – CDEM. Local authorities within a particular region, or unitary authorities, form regional CDEM Groups, which work with each other, emergency services and other agencies to reduce risks, be ready for emergencies, respond when needed, and lead the recovery afterwards..

The establishment of the National Emergency Management Agency does not change current local arrangements. Local authorities and Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups will remain the primary agents responsible for civil defence emergency management.

National Emergency Management Agency contacts from December 1 2019

Individual staff members: firstname.lastname@nema.govt.nz

Media enquiries: +64 4 494 6951 (24/7) or email emergency.management@nema.govt.nz

Website: www.civildefence.govt.nz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NZCivilDefence/

Twitter:

@NZGetThru (public education and personal preparedness)

@NZCivilDefence (emergency information).