An independent review has found that systemic failures by Tauranga City Council contributed to the “preventable” Mount Maunganui landslide that killed six people in January.
David Lynch, an advocate for the CTV Families Group, said it was indefensible that the report confirmed “a wholly avoidable tragedy” without holding anyone accountable.
The landslide struck Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park shortly before 9.30am on 22 January. The council owns and operates the holiday park.
Former High Court judge Paul Davison has spent about six months examining the timeline, council decisions, risk assessments and monitoring systems leading up to the disaster. His findings found the hazard was known and foreseeable, with consultants repeatedly pointing out the danger over more than two decades.
“This was not a hazard that was unknown, hidden, or beyond the reach of foresight,” Davison wrote. Consultants had located the risk on the slope that eventually failed and warned, sometimes “in stark terms,” about the potential consequences.
Tauranga Mayor Mahe Drysdale said the findings were “clear and deeply confronting”. Although the review did not blame any individual, it found the council had missed opportunities that might have prevented the tragedy and showed poor risk management.
Drysdale apologised to the victims’ families and said the council accepted all 10 recommendations. Chief executive Marty Grenfell said the findings would be implemented in full, with a detailed response plan due before councillors on 1 September.
Lynch says the outcome echoes the CTV building tragedy, in which the Royal Commission identified serious engineering, design and permitting failures but was unable to determine liability. He said public safety depended on scrutiny and consequences for professional negligence. “Accountability is not optional, it is the minimum standard a functioning system owes its citizens,” Lynch said.
ACT MP Cameron Luxton called for clear responsibilities and timeframes for reopening businesses around Mount Maunganui, adding that Police, WorkSafe and the Coroner were still investigating and the council should receive the same treatment as a private business.
Read more at Newsbeat Tauranga, RNZ and NZ Herald, listen to Marty Grenfell on Newstalk ZB and watch RCR’s January interview with David Lynch.
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