Government wants unemployed people to help with flood clean-up
Photo:
RNZ / Mark Papalii
The government plans to bring in jobseekers to help with the response to the recent flooding in Tasman and Marlborough.
Social Development Minister Louise Upston has announced the activation of an Enhanced Task Force Green.
This allows the use of funding for training, supplying, transporting and paying people on the Jobseeker benefit to help with the cleanup.
Upston said the work could include clearing debris and fencelines, as well as repairing buildings and waterways.
She said the programme would put jobseekers where they will be of most help to farmers and growers cleaning up their properties.
"Across the affected areas, damage assessments are being carried out. The Ministry of Social Development will work with agencies to make sure Enhanced Task Force Green assistance is provided as soon as possible to farmers and growers in need of this support," she said.
The taskforce has been an option for governments for many years, and also provides some funding for local councils, to assist with administration costs.
Upston said it would also provide "support to enable public assets such as community halls and gardens, playgrounds and public spaces to be returned to the same condition they were prior to the event".
"We know these are resilient communities which are pulling together to help each other. ETFG is designed to support those efforts and to lend a hand."
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