Wrong Kind of Politics”: Willis and Labour Clash Over Climate Funding in Wake of Mauao Tragedy

By Lions Roar Aotearoa Political Desk

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND (Tuesday, January 27, 2026) — The devastating landslide at Mount Maunganui has ignited a high-stakes political battle in Wellington, with Finance Minister Nicola Willis accusing the Labour Party of “bad-taste politics” for questioning the government’s climate resilience funding while families are still grieving.

The fallout centers on the coalition’s decision in Budget 2024 to scrap the previous government’s $6 billion National Resilience Plan, returning $3.2 billion to the Crown’s coffers—a move Labour claims has left New Zealanders “buried in the sand.”

⚔️ The Resilience Funding War

Minister Willis hit back at claims that the government had stopped investing in climate protection, arguing that the previous plan was little more than a “borrowing exercise” without concrete projects.

Willis’ Defense: The government has pivoted to the Regional Infrastructure Fund, spending nearly $198 million so far on flood schemes and culvert repairs. She also highlighted billions allocated to the land transport fund for weather response.
The Labour Critique: Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds argued that canceling the $6 billion ring-fenced fund was a massive oversight. Labour plans to release its own “prevention plan” later this year.
The Accusation: Willis labeled Labour’s press releases on the matter as the “wrong kind of politics,” especially following a national tragedy.

📉 Comparing the Spend: National vs. Labour

Quantifying climate resilience spending is complex due to the long-term nature of the projects, but the current ledger shows a shift in strategy:

Fund / Programme	Status / Amount	Purpose
National Resilience Plan (Labour)	Wound Up ($3.2bn returned)	10-year ring-fenced fund for energy/transport.
Regional Infrastructure Fund (Nat)	$198m spent to date	Specific flood resilience and regional projects.
Crown Resilience Programme	$419m (Target 2030)	Improving state highways and local roads.
Low-Risk Projects	$100m allocated	Small-scale ($2m or less) resilience fixes.

🗣️ Coalition and Greens Join the Fray

The debate has drawn in leaders from across the political spectrum, each offering a different lens on the January storms.

David Seymour (ACT): Scolded those trying to “blame other people” before the facts of the landslide are established. He defended the government’s $1 billion total spend on climate adaptation since taking power.
Chlöe Swarbrick (Greens): Argued that politicians have a responsibility to be honest about “climate-charged” weather caused by fossil fuel reliance and intensive agriculture.
Chris Hipkins (Labour): Denied politicizing the event, stating, “Climate change is with us, and it’s real… Rushing to judgment on each individual circumstance isn’t fair.”

📜 Planning for the Future

Willis highlighted the government’s National Climate Change Adaptation Framework (released October 2025) and upcoming RMA replacements as the real solution. These will provide councils with clearer rules on:

Development along coastlines.
Planning for landslip-prone areas.
Restricting builds in flood zones.

As the independent inquiry into the Mauao landslide begins, the political pressure is mounting for the government to prove that its “specific project” approach is as effective as the multi-billion dollar “ring-fence” strategy it replaced.