NZTA in spotlight as Govt steps in
The future of the New Zealand Transport Agency and senior executives hangs in the balance as the Government brings in a sweeping review.
Its laissez-faire regime has been overturned – Transport Minister Phil Twyford says the review covers everything the agency is in charge of, including driver testing, licences, freight licences, warrants of fitness, registration, heavy vehicle permits, speed management, rail safety, ‘‘and any other relevant statutory functions’’.
It comes after agency chief executive Fergus Gammie revealed a raft of public safety failures in recent weeks and months. Senior compliance managers were shunted aside and replaced by lawyers, and board chairman Stiassny took over communications.
Failures ranged from cracked truck and trailer tow bars and certifiers being suspended, to a death linked to a dodgy warrant of fitness.
Twyford said the review would be headed by the Ministry of Transport and focus on the backlog of 850 regulatory compliance cases concerning vehicle certifiers, training course providers, licensing agents, road transport operators and drivers.
‘‘The number of businesses and people affected by the performance issues is significant,’’ Twyford said.
These business include well-known entities such as AA which carry out driver and car testing, VTNZ, and the Optimus group of companies which imports, certifies, tests, warrants and sell vehicles.
Law firm Meredith Connell has taken over compliance from senior agency managers and will identify the underlying causes of the performance failures.
The catalyst for Twyford’s announcement was the discovery of a frayed seatbelt which failed a car passenger in a fatal crash. William Ball, 65, died 26 days after the accident near Dargaville in January. Police found that Ball’s seatbelt had failed to function properly but the Dargaville Diesel Specialists vehicle certifier had issued a warrant of fitness to the vehicle.
It was the latest incident involving Dargaville Diesel Specialists after agency officers saw the company’s staff issuing warrants without properly inspecting vehicles, including seatbelts.
The review aims to form a clear assessment of whether there are systemic deficiencies within the agency’s regulatory capability and function, and to what extent they contributed to the recent failures.
The reviewers will make recommendations on improvements to address deficiencies, accountability, and reasurance over public safety.
The review is being undertaken under section 132 of the Crown Entities Act 2004, and requires the transport agency to co-operate.
It will consider if new laws are necessary and will also look at how the agency works with other regulators.
The ministry is also looking at whether the regulatory framework for the transport system is fit-for-purpose.
The ministry can also seek views of external parties.
The findings and recommendations are due by March 2019.