28 November 2025
Two Gisborne District Council projects borne out of Cyclone Gabrielle have taken out Project of the Year in their categories at Wednesday night’s Association of Local Government Information Management (ALGIM) Awards.
Council headed home the Smart Communities Project of the Year for its disaster-ready water treatment units and the Data and Insights Project of the Year award for its AI-assisted aerial mapping of large woody debris.
Chief Executive Nedine Thatcher Swann says the recognition was a proud moment for Tairāwhiti.
“These projects were created in the hardest of circumstances after Cyclone Gabrielle, but they’re now setting the standard nationally for how small regions can use smart technology to solve big problems. This is innovation grounded in real community need,” she said.
Cyclone Gabrielle left more than 600,000m³ of woody debris across Tairāwhiti’s catchments. Rather than relying solely on crews on the ground, Council’s recovery team used AI-assisted aerial mapping to scan river systems and identify debris hotspots.
The system detected logs over two metres long, mapped accumulation zones and highlighted high-risk areas. The information was then combined with a multi-criteria framework that considered:
- Proximity to homes, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure
- Population density and community use
- Cultural and community assets
- Environmental and ecological sensitivities
This transparent, evidence-based approach allowed Council to prioritise the highest-risk areas first and direct funding where it would have the greatest impact. The result was more than $1million in cost savings, faster and more targeted removal and a reusable dataset to support future flood modelling, forestry planning and river management.
Recovery Manager Naomi Whitewood said the project was a powerful example of technology backing up local knowledge.
“Our communities have lived with the impacts of woody debris for years – we knew where the pressure points were, but we didn’t always have the data to match our lived experience,” said Ms Whitewood. “The AI mapping has changed that. It gives us a clear picture of where the biggest risks are, so we can act faster, justify our decisions and make every recovery dollar work harder.”
The tools developed for Tairāwhiti can now help other regions facing similar challenges.
“What we’ve built here isn’t just a one-off fix for Gabrielle. It’s a set of tools and methods that can be used again and again – in Tairāwhiti and across the motu – to reduce risk, protect communities and support better land use decisions.”
When Cyclone Gabrielle damaged the region’s main water pipe, Tairāwhiti faced severe water shortages. In response, the Tairāwhiti Emergency Management Office (TEMO) partnered with Australian firm LEDI to develop portable water treatment units – the first of their kind in New Zealand.
Using reverse osmosis and UV sterilisation, the units can turn seawater or contaminated water into safe drinking water. The two units – the AquaGen, a suitcase-sized model that can supply around 300 people a day and the Garrison, a 300kg unit that can supply drinking water for more than 3000 people a day – are modular and easily transported by 4WD utes and light helicopters.
This innovation reduces reliance on bottled water, cuts cost and waste and significantly boosts resilience for Tairāwhiti communities in future emergencies.
Tairawhiti CDEM Group Manager Ben Green says the award recognises the region’s determination to turn crisis into long-term resilience.
“After Gabrielle, we knew we couldn’t be that close to running out of safe drinking water ever again. These units give us options we simply didn’t have before – we can get safe water to isolated communities quickly, even if the main pipe is out. It’s a practical solution that has been designed around Tairāwhiti conditions, and it will keep paying dividends in future emergencies.”
Mr Green said that having two projects recognised at a national level shows the strength of local collaboration.
“These awards acknowledge not just the technology, but the teamwork – from our staff and contractors to iwi, landowners and community partners. When we combine local knowledge with innovative tools, we can punch well above our weight as a small region.”
ALGIM is a national organisation supporting councils across Aotearoa with professional development and leadership in technology and information management. Its annual awards celebrate local government projects that use innovation to deliver smarter, better outcomes for communities.
Photo: Ben Green and Naomi Whitewood (centre) with data and Insights Project of the Year Award sponsors Eagle Technologies
Photo: Ben Green with Smart Communities Award sponsor Spark New Zealand