Council had no plan to open flood bar despite risk - review

A review into the devastating June floods in Wairoa details a litany of shortcomings in the management of the local river mouth by the Hawkes Bay Regional council. More than 400 properties were damaged or destroyed when the town flooded on June 26. At the time, locals criticised the council for not digging a channel to let the rising Wairoa river release into the sea sooner - known as 'opening the bar'.The review said it's "surprising" that didn't happen, but it may not have mitigated the problem. But also found the Hawkes Bay Regional Council, that is legally responsible for the river, had no operational plan for managing the bar, despite its known flood risk. Chair of the Hawkes Bay Regional Council, Hinewai Ormsby spoke to Lisa Owen.