Governance, strategies and plans

The CDEM Act

While there are various pieces of legislation relevant to reduce, be ready, respond and recover from disasters, The Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 is the foundational piece of legislation which lays out how the CDEM sector works.

The CDEM Act 2002

An overview of the Act

The National Disaster Resilience Strategy

This strategy provides the vision and long-term goals for CDEM sector in New Zealand.  This strategy is not just for CDEM.  The National Resilience Strategy provides a common agenda for all of us to work towards a more resilient future and there is a role for individuals, NGO’s, iwi, businesses and community groups to play.  You can find the whole strategy, useful summaries, translations, easy read versions and audio summaries via the below link:

The National Disaster Resilience Strategy Resources

The National Emergency Management Agency

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) provides national leadership to create an emergency management system that reduces the impact of emergencies.  NEMA works with central and local government, iwi, and business to make sure responses to and recoveries from emergencies are effective and integrated. NEMA is an autonomous departmental agency, hosted by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

For more information, resources and national updates, visit www.civildefence.govt.nz.

The governance and strategic direction of each Civil Defence Group is overseen by a Joint Committee.  In Canterbury, our Joint Committee comprises of the Mayors of each of our member Territorial Authorities. 

The Coordinating Executive Group (CEG) is a committee established and maintained under Section 20 of the Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act.  The Canterbury CDEM Group CEG comprises of the following statutory appointments:

• The chief executive officer of each member local authority
• A senior member of the Police
• A senior member of Fire and Emergency New Zealand
• The chief executive officers of the Canterbury District Health Board and South Canterbury District Health Board

In Canterbury, the following additional representatives also sit on the Coordinating Executive Group:

• A senior representative of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
• A senior Canterbury representative of Ministry of Primary Industries
• A senior representative of the Canterbury business community
• A senior Canterbury representative of St John
• A South Island officer of the National Emergency Management Agency
• The Canterbury CDEM Group Controller
• The Chair of the Welfare Coordination Group
• The Chair of the Rural Advisory Group
• The Chair of the Canterbury Lifelines Utilities Group

All CDEM Groups throughout New Zealand are required to develop a Group Plan to provide strategic direction on how comprehensive, risk-based emergency management will be implemented across the Canterbury region.  See below or search our Resource page to view a copy of our current Canterbury CDEM Group Plan. 

Canterbury CDEM Group Plan 2018