Wairoa Flooding Class Action
On 26 June 2024 the Wairoa River broke its banks and flooded about 500 properties near to the river causing tens of millions of dollars of damage. Areas were flooded that had not previously been flooded in recent history. This included Cyclones Bola and Gabrielle. The consensus of local opinion is that the Hawkes Bay Regional Council failed in its role to protect properties from water. The HBRC failed to open the river mouth to enable water to escape out to sea rather than overflow the banks. The HBRC had also failed to have any other system in place to protect the properties which could have been by stop banks and/or dredging the river.
On 16 July 2024 Grant Shand filed proceedings in the Napier High Court against the HBRC on behalf of two affected business and property owners who will also ask the court to permit them to be representatives of similarly affected people/entities.
On 23 January 2026 the High Court certified the proceeding as an “opt out”class action. On 30 March 2026 the Court approved the notice to potential class members and notification.
The website for the claim is www.wairoaflooding.co.nz
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