Aotearoa Tongan Response Group Inc

11/04/2026

Ngaahi fale hufanga

UPDATE Monday 13 April | Mōrena everyone. All of our Civil Defence Centres have now CLOSED. Thank you to all of the council staff, our response teams and volunteers and our community partners who worked together to stand these sites up and take care of our communities 🫶❤️

************************************

UPDATE TO CIVIL DEFENCE CENTRE OPENING HOURS:
Sunday 12 April, 2:40pm

We've had 28 people using our Civil Defence Centres overnight, and we're now in the process of closing down those no longer required.

UPCOMING CLOSURES ON SUNDAY 12 APRIL:
-Helensville War Memorial Hall - closing at 2.00pm
-Shoesmith Hall, Warkworth - closing at 6.30pm

These centres will be on standby to open again should the need arise.

-Ellen Melville Centre, Auckland CBD will be stood down at 8pm, transitioning to close at 8am tomorrow Monday 13 April.

Ostend Hall on Waiheke Island and Wellsford Community Centre will remain open overnight.

----------------------------------------------------------

Good afternoon Auckland, a couple of really important things.

1️⃣ We've just issued an emergency mobile alert to the Auckland region. We're taking every opportunity to make sure our communities use this afternoon to prepare for Cyclone Vaianu and have a plan in place for Sunday.

2️⃣ From 9pm tonight (Saturday) five Civil Defence Centres will be open.

If you need to leave your home, can’t get home, or can't shelter with friends or whānau overnight, temporary shelter will be available at our Civil Defence Centres in the wider Auckland region.

- Ostend Hall, Waiheke Island - Belgium Street, Ostend, Waiheke Island
- Wellsford Community Centre, 1 Matheson Road, Wellsford
- Shoesmith Hall, Shoesmith Street and Brown Road, Warkworth
- Helensville War Memorial Hall, 2 Porter Crescent Helensville
- Ellen Melville Centre, 2 Freyberg Place Auckland

🏠These centres will provide shelter, light snacks, and some basic sleeping arrangements.

👕 Please bring warm clothing and essential items like medicines, baby and children’s items and special food you may need.

♿️ All Civil Defence Centres are wheelchair accessible

🐶 A small number of pets can be accommodated (cats must be in cages and dogs on a lead).

Check our website for more detail: https://www.aucklandemergencymanagement.govt.nz/your-local/emergency-relief-centres/

Stay safe everyone 🫶

11/04/2026

For live updates on Cyclone Vaianu - Radio NZ

Local states of emergency have already been declared in Whakatane, Hawke's Bay and Waikato.

10/04/2026

Let’s be ready.

Kia ora -

Cyclone is tracking toward the North Island, with Auckland now under both a heavy rain watch and strong wind watch this weekend.

For Papakura, this means preparing now and taking simple steps to stay safe.

• Check and clear your gutters and drains to reduce flooding risk.

• Secure or bring inside outdoor items like furniture and trampolines.

• Make sure you are ready for possible power outages with torches, batteries and charged devices.

• Plan ahead if you need to travel and avoid driving through floodwaters. Strong winds are expected from Saturday night through Sunday, with heavy rain forecast into Sunday afternoon. There is a real chance these watches will be upgraded.

Stay informed:

• Follow updates from MetService New Zealand.

• Get ready guidance: getready.govt.nz

• Auckland updates:
Auckland Emergency Management

• Power outages: Vector Limited

You can also view the Papakura Emergency Readiness and Response Plan here:https://www.aucklandemergencymanagement.govt.nz/media/b1tja1ln/papakura-emergency-readiness-response-plan-web.pdf

09/04/2026

Fakatokanga Matangi.

Prepare please.

All eyes are on what latest weather models will show as a massive storm nears the country.

26/03/2026

05/03/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DKkoAsHrm/

The government has been accused of scaremongering after Erica Stanford said there were "tens of thousands more" overstayer.

15/01/2026

We visited Mati Filemoni today to share our fie kaunga mamahi for his beloved wife Vui Elena Filemoni. 🙏💯. ‘Oku mau ‘ofa atu.

https://pmn.co.nz/read/community/heart-of-our-family-pacific-leader-vui-elena-fa-amoe-timoteo-dies-after-decades-of-serviceu

13/01/2026

Tokaa Vui ElenaFile Timoteo, ‘oku mai fie kaunga mamahi ‘I he Taufa kuo yo homou lotofale.

The founding member of the Pacific Leadership Forum was a tireless advocate for education, health, and community.

21/10/2025

Tokaa Seini Foliaki.

06/10/2025

Koia -
Fili leva!

Everything you need to know about the 2025 local elections for Tāmaki Makarau / Auckland.

04/10/2025