13 August 2025
Tēnā koe Gary Whitehead
Official Information Act request
Thank you for your email of 24 July 2025, requesting information about Civil
Defence Payments paid for flood damage in the Far North District due to Cyclone
Gabrielle.
I have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Please find my decision on your request set out below.
I have also included some general information about Civil Defence Payments (CDP)
at the end of this letter, for your further information.
Could you please give me information on how many Civil Defence Payments
and/or claims were made for Flood damage in the Far North District from
Cyclone Gabrielle.
Please find attached
Appendix One. This contains CDP information for the Far
North District over the period of 13 February to 16 April 2023 and includes the
number of CDP grants, the number of clients that received CDP grants and the
total amount the Ministry granted for the period.
The request for the number of CDP made specifically for flood damage is refused
under section 18(f) of the Act, as substantial manual collation would be required
to collate this information. If held, this information would only be contained within
individual client files, which would each require manual review to respond to your
request. The greater public interest is in the effective and efficient administration
of the public service.
I have considered whether the Ministry would be able to respond to your request
given extra time, or the ability to charge for the information requested. I have
concluded that, in either case, the Ministry’s ability to undertake its work would
still be prejudiced.
General information about Civil Defence Payments
Civil Defence Payments (CDP) are available to meet the immediate needs of people
affected by a civil defence emergency or adverse event. For example, those
affected by the January and February 2023 North Island floods and/or Cyclone
Gabrielle.
CDP are non-taxable and do not affect a person’s eligibility for most other forms
of social assistance. This is due to the exceptional circumstances of those affected
by a civil defence emergency or an adverse event.
The Aurora Centre, 56 The Terrace, PO Box 1556, Wellington
– Telephone 04-916 3300 – Facsimile 04-918 0099
For more information on Civil Defence payments, please see here:
Civil Defence
Payment - Map. I will be publishing this decision letter, with your personal details deleted, on the
Ministry’s website in due course.
If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact
[MSD request email]. If you are not satisfied with my decision on your request, you have the right to
seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to
make a complaint is available a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi nui
pp.
Anna Graham
General Manager Ministerial and Executive Services
