The Prime Minister says he was left “incredibly proud and humbled” by the manaakitanga shown by marae that stepped up to support communities during last week’s severe weather events across the Upper North Island.
However, some opposition MPs say while the pūtea will be welcomed, it falls well short of what is needed and raises wider questions about how marae are resourced during emergencies.
Speaking after Cabinet today at Parliament, Christopher Luxon praised marae for providing shelter, food and care to evacuees and isolated residents, often in some of the most remote areas affected by flooding and slips.
“Marae have been exceptional in the way they’ve stepped up to support their communities,” Luxon said.
“I cannot speak more highly of them. I came away incredibly proud and humbled by the manaakitanga that was shown.”
The comments come as the government announced a new $1 million Marae Emergency Response Fund, aimed at reimbursing marae for the welfare support they provided during the January weather events.
The government also announced a $1.2 million dollar top up for the Mayoral Relief Fund.
Luxon said he and Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell had visited marae in Northland, where local networks had prepared in advance with elevated storage, emergency containers and coordinated response plans.
“These are very remote and isolated communities, but the way they had prepared was outstanding,” he said.
“Iwi and marae are very good at emergency management. They don’t just stand up for iwi, they stand up for the entire community.”
Luxon said the funding was designed as immediate, practical support, allowing marae to replenish resources used during the response and continue operating without financial strain.
“This is about getting cash out quickly so voluntary efforts aren’t stopped for lack of resources,” he said.
“It’s a tactical, immediate top-up. There are hundreds of millions of dollars available across government for recovery and rebuild once full assessments are completed.” he said.
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka said at least 20 marae across five regions activated during the emergency, opening their doors to evacuees, stranded travellers and isolated residents.
“This fund ensures marae are not left carrying the costs of that mahi,” Potaka said.
“It allows them to replenish what was used, recover from the immediate response, and continue building resilience for future events.”
The $1 million allocation has been added to the Māori Development Fund and will be administered by Te Puni Kōkiri, with one-off reimbursement grants available to marae or related organisations that provided welfare support.
Eligible costs include food, accommodation, utilities and other essential expenses incurred while supporting communities during the January weather event.
Luxon said recent disasters, including Cyclone Gabrielle, had reinforced the central role marae play during emergencies, and that government decisions now increasingly reflect that reality.
“We’ve learned a lot,” he said.
“Marae are exactly executing what’s needed on the ground, and they’ve done an outstanding job.”
Sustained investment for marae needed
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and Waiariki MP, Rawiri Waititi, says the funding does not reflect the scale or frequency of the impacts faced by communities.
“They [marae] are amazing in the response. They are the first to respond and the last to receive any resourcing,” Waititi said.
“So one million dollars across the marae is not enough. When you think about all the marae in Te Tai Rāwhiti, in the north, in Hauraki, in Waiariki, it is not enough.”
Waititi said communities were still grappling with long term consequences including damaged roads, water access issues, housing insecurity and families separated for weeks at a time.
“This is not a one in a hundred year event anymore. This is happening every year,” he said.
“We do not need money just for response. We need money for resilience.”
Te Pāti Kākāriki co leader Marama Davidson echoed those concerns, saying marae must be recognised and resourced as permanent community hubs.
“Marae will welcome every dollar they get, but it is nowhere near enough,” Davidson said.
“We need to see marae as key hubs and community bases, not just during crises and emergencies, but because of their enduring role based on relationships for all people.” she said.
Marae seeking reimbursement are encouraged to contact their regional Te Puni Kōkiri office to begin the application process.
