A camper at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park says a Tauranga City Council vehicle drove through the campground and past multiple visible slips about two hours before a fatal landslide struck.
Speaking to state media, The woman said she contacted police at 6.18am after being woken by victim Lisa Maclennan when a slip shifted campervans. She said there were no campground staff present during severe weather warnings and state of emergency.
She provided photos and video of the initial slips and said a council ute later passed slowly through the affected area, leading campers to believe the risk was being managed.
The landslide later killed six people and injured others.
Tauranga City Council and emergency agencies have acknowledged receiving early notifications but say a full review of events will occur once recovery and safety assessments are complete.
Analysis points to earlier Pōhutukawa removal and long-term slope destabilisation
An analysis published by the Centrist concludes that the landslide was not caused by the more recent removal of exotic trees, but is likely linked to earlier clearance of native pōhutukawa above the Beachside Holiday Park.
The report challenges claims that the 2026 rain event was unprecedented, noting Tauranga experienced significantly heavier and more prolonged rainfall during the May 2005 storms without a comparable failure on Mauao.
Using Google Earth imagery, the analysis identified a substantial reduction in tree cover between 2017 and 2019 in the eventual slip zone, with the landslide originating above the 2026 treeline in an area previously forested.
Geotechnical engineer Rod Kane has suggested that decaying root systems left after tree removal can create pathways for water to destabilise slopes over time. The analysis indicates the cleared trees were likely pōhutukawa affected by myrtle rust, rather than exotic species removed later for cultural reasons, reinforcing the conclusion that long-term vegetation loss, not record rainfall alone, may have been a critical contributing factor.
Centrist analysis confirms exotic tree removal was NOT a factor in Mt Maunganui tragedy, but native Pōhutukawa removal was.
A brief extract follows..main article with more photos over at the Centrist website today (link in comments)
For a start, the Met Service’s claim that… pic.twitter.com/jzYT7KFWRH
— Ian Wishart (@investigatemag) January 26, 2026
Tree removal was the cause, Period. The buck stops with TCC, Period. Government is responsible for ‘allowing into the tent’ Co-Governance Principles and Partnership and all things un-democratic and un-elected, Period.
Agree. Period. And OMG, why would trees have had to be removed for ‘cultural reasons’?! Why does anything have to be done for cultural reasons. It’s out of control, and now hopefully someone’s head will roll because people have died.
……exotic species removed later for cultural reasons…..
Removed like the giant Moa?
Like the Haast Eagle?
Like the Moriori?
Like uncounted neighbour tribes?
Like taniwhas needing $ offerings to be satisfied?
Culture? What sort of culture are we talking about?
Since when did a primitive savage grifter ‘culture’ develop environmental reasoning?
Well, since they were used by another grifter group, the bureaucratic parasites, the otherwise unemployable Goody Two-Shoes brigade. Hand in hand, froth in the corner of mouth, they manage to syphon off, extract and extort millions of hard-earned $$$ for their combined theft and fraud. Fat hands clap shoulders, no-one dares to ask questions. U can’t be seen racist or colonial.
Because it’s all CULTURAL, ya know?!
“”Grifter Inc., Llc., we really care for you””
So removing a native tree caused the landslide, but removing “exotics” did not.
The bullshit has begun.
Hands up TCC ute driver, you will know. Be brave and own up. There will prob be vehicle logs/tracking.
There is no web record of an analysis published by the Centrist, Doh!
But blahblah by lots of other stooges like NZHerdolt, RNZEwes, The Constipation, and The Spunkoff.
WTH?
Corrupt TCC long history just look at the corruption at the marina uncle Doug Owens has been fighting to no avail for years.
Your time is up TCC your a disgrace its coming out.