Infrastructure and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones is in Invercargill today to announce $30 million in Government funding for flood protection and $3.5 million for jobs and skills training in Southland and Otago.

Mr Jones, a New Zealand First MP, is a member of the coalition Government. He released the information in media releases embargoed until 5am today.

The flood protection funding is from central Government's $3 billion "shovel-ready'' projects budget, while the jobs and training funding is from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF).

Southland gets the biggest bite out of the flood protection budget, at $25 million. Otago gets the remainder - $5 million.

According to the Insurance Council of New Zealand, about $20 million was paid out in claims after the February floods in Southland.

Mr Jones also visited Gore to yesterday to announce a $3 million allocation for a new Gore Library and $1 million for remedial work at the Gore Multisports Complex, funds also made available through the PGF.

Mr Jones said the new investment in flood protection for Southland and Otago would keep residents safer and boost their local economies.

The funding forms part of the $210 million for shovel-ready climate resilience and flood protection projects being delivered through the $3 billion tagged contingency set aside in Budget 2020 for infrastructure. 

“Every year flooding costs regional economies many millions of dollars,” Mr Jones said.

“On top of that, there is the considerable stress of lost income and the cost of rebuilding and repairing the damage. 

“Flooding impacts livelihoods and damages the infrastructure that people rely on to stay safe and to get around. Investing to mitigate these impacts makes sense for individuals and businesses.

“Projects proposed for funding in both regions include stopbanks and flood protection works in both Otago and Southland and the Outram flood remediation project.

“We want to work directly with regional councils to undertake a range of flood protection measures including upgrading stop banks, creating new stop banks, flood damage repairs, earthworks and flood management structures. 

“And aside from the benefits of the infrastructure itself, this investment will provide immediate and much needed jobs during construction for an economy recovering from the impact of COVID-19. Most of those jobs will not require extensive training for new workers, so they are good to go.

“This funding will make a real difference to people living in Southland and Otago by not only making them safer from the impact of flooding but also providing new work opportunities,” Mr Jones said.

Southland flood protection projects which may be funded (subject to due diligence and council prioritisation) are: 

• Boundary Creek Stop Bank Upgrade, SH1, Mataura

• Gore Town Stopbank Protection – following 2020 floods

• Mataura Town Stopbank Protection – following recent floods

• Mataura Town Stopbank Upgrade – critical flood protection following 2020 flood

• Otepuni Stop Banks Upgrade – critical flood protection for Invercargill City

• Stead St Pump Station, Stead Street, Invercargill City – replacement major upgrade of old 1950s pump station. Critical flood protection

• Stead Street stop bank Upgrade, Invercargill

• Waiau River Flood damage repairs – critical repairs following 2019 flood

• Waihopai Stop Banks Upgrade – critical flood protection for Invercargill City

• Waimumu Stopbank Upgrade – critical flood protection following 2020 flood

• Wyndham Stopbank Upgrade – critical flood protection following 2020 flood

Otago

• Outram Flood Protection – earthworks and culverts construction project to protect the Outram community

• Riverbank Road Flood Protection, Lower Clutha – stabilising of critical flood protection infrastructure for Clutha Delta

• Upgrade and Installation of ORC Flow Management Structures at Robson Lagoon (part of Lake Tuakitoto Wetland), Lower Clutha, Balclutha

• West Taieri Flood Protection Contour Channel Upgrade 2,820m (stages 5, 7 ,8, 9, and 10)

Mr Jones is also announcing a further $3.5 million investment in jobs and training to support the shearing industry and the Dunedin Hospital rebuild.

After the announcements, Mr Jones is understood to be visiting some Invercargill businesses.

“A total investment of over $3.5 million from the PGF will help close to 1,500 people become work-ready,” Mr Jones said.

“Funding of $1.85 million over four years will help establish Workforce Central Dunedin’s construction industry Jobs and Skills Hub, which will support the construction of the much-needed new Dunedin Hospital.

"While the hub will initially support the hospital build, it can also provide services and support broader outcomes for the construction sector beyond that build.

“I’d like to thank the local agencies and the local building industry who have recognised the importance of such a facility, and committed to keeping this hub running beyond the hospital’s construction phase. 

“The project will upskill and support more than 300 local people into work on the hospital build, and at least a further 900 people will be engaged and supported into training, education or employment,'' Mr Jones said.

Another $1.86 million over two years has been committed to set up a pilot for the NZ Shearing Training Model programme, to develop and deliver a sustainable, integrated training model for the shearing and wool handling industry. 

“This programme will use micro credentialing, ‘earn-as-you-learn’, and upskilling for up to 150 new shearers and 120 existing shearers. It will target school leavers, unemployed and underemployed people, career changers and those in the industry who would like to learn new skills.  

“The programme will initially include two pilot schemes in the Tairāwhiti/Hawke’s Bay and Otago/Southland areas, where it will also establish centres of excellence for expert training in shearing and wool handling.

“The industry has identified a need for more hands-on training to go with the paper-based qualifications currently used in the industry.

“This project is the first step towards meeting that need,” Mr Jones said.