A team of Australian disaster experts will be sent from Australia to New Zealand to assist in the post-cyclone recovery effort.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed yesterday that they'd received a formal request for assistance from New Zealand — saying they "stand ready to assist".
This assistance will first come in the form of an impact assessment team, made up of 25 expert officers from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and contributions from other jurisdictions.
They'll be deployed to regional areas of New Zealand within the next 24 hours to assist local Fire and Emergency teams with the emergency response.
"Our close relationship with New Zealand has meant we have been able to mobilise assistance quickly in response to this disaster," Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.
"Whether it be as far away as Turkey or as close as New Zealand, we stand ready to do our part to help our international counterparts in times of distress."
Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the Australian response and recovery experts are "some of our best".
"Unfortunately, over the past few years we have become experts in flood response and recovery, and these teams will be of great help to the New Zealand authorities."
Watt credited New Zealand for quickly providing assistance in the wake of Australia's Black Summer bushfires between 2019 and 2020, and in supporting State Emergency Services during recent floods.
"Our neighbours have been there for us, and we are more than willing to return the favour in their hour of need," Watt said.
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