New Zealand is in a National State of emergency and it feels like the world doesn't care

[HelpNZ]

I live in the UK but originate from NZ. They have just been hit by an incredibly destructive cyclone. Thousands are homeless. 5 people have died but there will be more. I appreciate this is not on the scale of the Earthquake in Turkey/Syria. I guess I'm wondering where the international support for NZ is? I've heard nothing and it's not even hitting the news in the UK (or just minor mention buried somewhere)?

That isnt the point.

I dont know whether going for a walk this morning will improve my backache or worsen it, but if I ask on Mumsnet, I would expect kind responses ( mostly - there is always the idiot)

I am not thousands of dead, but my problem still matters to me, and I havent been hit by a cyclone or flooded - this is a lot worse than most of the problems people on mumsnet are concerned with, if you want to rank them

I'm in NZ. I don't really see why there would be overseas aid? Obviously its a huge disaster for the area, but we are generally well set up to deal with things like this (as much as anyone could be) and the government has already said they are able to meet the financial costs of rebuilding etc.

You can't afford 44p per day? How are you affording to pay for whatever you are accessing MN on?

Everything adds up. I need home broadband as I have a child in college. A mobile phone is near essential these days. A TV licence is not.

South Africa has declared a state of disaster. Does the UK care? No. Despite it being a part of the commonwealth, its former region(s) being colonies, many expats there and connections here, the UK government care not a jot. In the state visit last November, Ramaphosa pleaded for urgent help with infrastructure and enrolment of South African PhD students into UK universities.. is it any wonder that due to the radio silence on this that China and Russia have been allowed to undertake naval drills with the S.African navy off its East Coast?

I mean, if we're going to be nasty, I could point out that the massive covid crisis was entirely of your own making....

They're usually in the news here though.

Really don’t know what OP expects the UK government to do? Presumably, chuck some $$ over? Why? NZ is a first world country, it can finance itself and if it runs low it does what every other first world country does and borrows from international monetary funds and then works to pay it back. The difference with Syria etc are that they are not first world and no one would lend their country money because they simply will never be able to repay so aid is ‘gifted’.

If referring to on the ground logistical support, NZ has only asked for this today. Other countries cannot just barge in and force support on them. It asked Australia who are happy to assist and organising that. Given geographical proximity, far better to ask Australia than the UK!

The UK has offered to help www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/chris-hipkins-new-zealand-jacinda-ardern-prime-minister-ukraine-b2281549.html%3famp

This article suggests that initial offers of help were set aside and now with fuller assessment of the damage NZ has decided to take countries up on them www.google.com/amp/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2023/2/16/cyclone-gabrielle-new-zealand-open-to-international-assistance

I think you are confusing us with an American funded Chinese lab

It's the lack of interest that has shocked me given the close ties to the UK. I'm in the UK because of my Welsh ancestory much like other young New Zealanders.

Why does it shock you? I'm in NZ and would be far more interested in something happening in the Pacific than I would in the UK. Those close ties have dwindled over the decades, and my English ancestry doesn't make me particularly interested in a country on the other side of the world. Presumably my ancestors moved here because they no longer wanted to live there, so I don't see the need to claim any sort of tie.

I mean, if we're going to be nasty, I could point out that the massive covid crisis was entirely of your own making....

I totally agree with this. Why should NZ have offered to help with your massive covid crisis, which was totally down to your government. MN was full of criticism of NZ's response, so why on earth would you have wanted our help.

I don’t think they should have offered to help us with covid, i think they should have looked after their own citizens overseas trying to get home better, instead they palmed them off on other countries. Australia took in many. The Taliban even offered to help a stranded NZ citizen when NZ would not. It was pretty disgusting.

Seems a bit rich to start getting judgey about the UK in this situation, saying how appalled you are that the UK isn’t rushing to help NZ. Let he who is without sun cast the first stone and all…

Sin 🤣 not sun

Why should the UK fund it? It's terrible but in a first world country with resources and planning what input would the uk have? Was NZ sending assistance in all the flooding we had?

Turkey and Syria is a totally different situation.

please can we stop fighting

A lot of people who are ok and who are self-centred are unconcerned; that is the nature of humans.

Auckland is not "ok". Thousands of Aucklanders have been displaced by the catastrophic floods and have had more misery heaped upon them by the cyclone.

The people of Muriwai and Karekare and Piha and virtually anywhere with hills and trees are dealing with a huge clean up operation - and those are the ones who have not lost homes.

I work directly with those worst affected and I can tell you there are a LOT of traumatised people out there whose lives as they knew it have ended. They are facing huge challenges to find homes, replace lost belongings and to feel safe again. Children are crying every time it rains or when the wind picks up.

As for the news coming out of Hawke's Bay, my god, it's apocalyptic. I don't have the words for the horrors that are unfolding.

I only knew after seeing the message from the royal family on social media.

I think most news is filled with Nicola sturgeon at the moment.

Absolutely this. Honestly I have not heard one person here surrounded by damage make a single mention of needing help from the UK.

We are just doing our best to help each other and hoping our friends and families are safe and continue to be so.

Crikey, no one is expecting the UK to "fund" any clean up. Tbh we are only in the assessment phase; whole towns are still cut off with no outsiders knowing whether the occupants are alive or dead.

This is really not a time to point score. Let's focus on the hundreds of thousands of people who are suffering deeply and will continue to do so for many months. And perhaps bear in mind that NZ has more immigrants from England than any other country.

What are you asking for op? International aid?

Syria and Turkey is a huge humanitarian crisis so it makes sense it’s a higher priority news item.

Do you have any idea how much of an arse you are being?

This is potentially a humanitarian crisis never known before in NZ... currently more than 3000 people are unaccounted for.

Cities and towns have been wiped out, literally. It isn't a competition and please don't pretend that you personally do anything to help any other nation because it is quite apparent you don't have a bone of compassion in your body.

My dd is in Singapore with flights toNZ on weds. It's barely been mentioned here.

Not as much as you are being.

Bloody hell. Imagine getting upset because Syria and Turkey are mentioned. Have you even looked at what’s happening?

Actually don’t bother answering you sound way too angry over a huge crisis elsewhere being mentioned.

Does she live in NZ or is she visiting? If visiting I would advise her to check where she goes to after her arrival is ok. I know Hawke's Bay is really bad, but areas in Auckland and Coromandel are really bad too.