David Seymour backs managed retreat, letting communities decide not the government

On 2026-04-13, New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and ACT leader David Seymour said communities, not the central government, should decide whether to pursue managed retreat in vulnerable areas. He said the government’s role is to provide flood maps and the National Adaptation Framework, while local communities determine the choices they want to make. The remarks were made in response to a morning radio interview question on RNZ.