Cabinet has agreed the Terms of Reference and membership for a Government Inquiry into the Fatal Landslides in Tauranga, Emergency Management and Recovery Associate Minister Chris Penk has announced.
“Eight people died in the devastating events of 22 January 2026 – two when a landslide struck a property in Pāpāmoa’s Welcome Bay Road and six several hours later when a section of Mauao collapsed on to the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park,” said Penk.
“These events have caused profound grief. For the families and loved ones of those who died, the loss has been devastating. That pain has been shared by the wider Tauranga community and by people throughout New Zealand.
“The Government recognises the significant public concern regarding these tragic events and acknowledges the importance for both the families and the wider community of determining exactly what happened.
“The Inquiry will establish how the fatal landslides occurred, report on whether relevant agencies took appropriate steps to manage any apparent risk in the period immediately prior to the two fatal landslides – including steps to warn and evacuate people likely to be affected by the landslides – and identify any lessons that can be applied to reduce the risk of similar tragedies in future.”
The Inquiry will be led by the Honourable Sir Mark O’Regan, a retired Supreme Court Judge and a former President of the Court of Appeal. He will be supported by Dr Helen Anderson and Steve Symon.
Dr Anderson was the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology for six years (2004-2010), prior to which she was the Chief Science Adviser. She has chaired and contributed to many reviews of technical issues such as the failure of Statistics House in the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake and the Christchurch CBD collapse in 2011.
Steve Symon brings additional legal expertise to the Inquiry. He was recently the Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Group on Transnational, Serious, Organised Crime. His experience includes serving as a lead lawyer for WorkSafe New Zealand during the legal proceedings following the 2019 Whakaari/White Island volcanic eruption.
“Those responsible for the Inquiry will be required to communicate with the families of the victims about its progress. It is my expectation that this engagement will be conducted with respect and sensitivity, and that the work will proceed as efficiently as possible,” Mr Penk says.
The Inquiry will begin considering evidence and information on 30 March and be required to deliver a final report with recommendations by 3 December 2026.
Image credit: Rodrigo Kammer
Don’t worry folks. No important people will be held responsible for anything or prosecuted.
It is an inquiry after all.
The corrupt Luxon government keeps playing taxpayers for fools with their inquiry terms of reference.
Following on from Van Velden’s covid inquiry, key factor excluding, terms of reference coverup; we now have an obvious mt maunganui slip inquiry terms of reference cover up.
Mahe Drysdalr’s council are to blame for.
1. Cutting down vital bank holding vegetation
2. Incompetent Mt Maunganui slip risk management. How can the best paid mayor and counillors in nz judge stopping people walking above slip risk areas is more important than evacuating people at the bottom of potential slips?
Was the honest and honourable Shane Reti’s demotion from health minister related to the corrupt covid inquiry cover up? Could Reti’s premature resignation from the Luxon, Peters, and Seymour coalition corruption cess pool be because Retis obvious integrity prevents him from playing any further part in the corrupt coalition?
NZ needa a new honest centre right party. It is time honest business people and academics look at improving NZ loyal or if necessary start a new moral centre right party.
NZ is almost passed the point of no return….. the UK cotizrns now find themselves in because of their corrupt government.
Why pay unelected bureaucrats (entrenched corporate statist) top rates for a nil justice outcome, when the locals will tell you exactly how and why it happened and who is to blame.
The first slippery creep who should be held accountable, prosecuted and sacked – is the ginger-bearded woke soyboy council dipsh*t who virtue-signalled in a simpering whiny monologue of how wonderful and important it was to remove “colonial vegetation” from ” Mauao”
Got a link for that?
So I was talking to a relative of one of the deceased and they told me that what was actually happening and what the media was reporting wētās completely different.
Can we just have some honest journalists in this day and age?
I am so done with Sh1t like this happening and us all getting lied to.
Another example is White Island.
No one is ever held to account and all the lawyers and bureaucrats make squillions off the taxpayer for their biased reports and blinkered takes.
*were completely different * sorry this font is so small I can’t read it properly!