Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says more relief is on the way for the flood-stricken top of the South Island, particularly to assist rebuilding infrastructure damaged by the recent flooding.
Ardern spoke to Breakfast on Monday morning from Nelson where'll she meet with some of those affected by flooding.
On Thursday, the Government injected $200,000 into the mayoral relief fund for Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough.
Ardern told Breakfast this was intended only to address the region's immediate needs, "basically to be very quick in getting money to a local area to ensure that they can get on with everything from immediate clean-up response, even it can be used in discretionary ways, right down to individual residential needs."
Jacinda Ardern said "there will be many areas" where the Government contributes, particularly infrastructure. (Source: Breakfast)
"It's not intended to be the money that supports all of the extra work that's needed such as infrastructure."
Ardern added that repairing damaged roads in the region would be a particularly big job.
"Can't quite say the quantums that will be needed, but there will be many areas where we will of course be making significant contributions."
Jacinda Ardern said "there will be many areas" where the Government contributes, particularly infrastructure. (Source: 1News)
Ardern arrived in Nelson on Sunday night, and says that what she saw was "devastating".
"And one of the issues of course is that there is ongoing weather over the course of this week, and although it may not be as severe as some of the rainfall we've seen recently, because of the vulnerability of some of the land and the potential for landslips it is a bit of a watch and wait.
"Of course, we want to make sure people are well supported in the meantime, and that if it is safe to return they are able to do so."
READ MORE: A round up of Aotearoa's recent heavy downpours
Ardern added that New Zealand had "started on the pathway" to addressing climate change "but there's a long way for us to go".
And "we need the whole world to move," she said.
Jacinda Ardern took a tour of flood-ravaged Nelson and met affected residents. (Source: 1News)
"We have to do our part, and demonstrate that we're doing our part, particularly given we're in such a vulnerable region, but we need the world to move, because you can see the impacts on significant weather and it's not just us.
"This is a very visual representation of the impacts of climate change."
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