Fond tributes to local truckie killed on SH50
Victim may have been unloading truck when collision happened
Worksafe has been notified after the crash that killed David John O’Sullivan, 37, of Crownthorpe on Friday. O’Sullivan died on SH50, Maraekakaho, just after 6pm.
His loved ones mourned him online as a “top bloke”.
“It was a real honour to call you a mate, you will be sorely missed,” said one.
“My bro, you can be with your darling now. RIP mate. xxx,” said another.
A local trucking company posted on its Facebook page: “Words cannot describe the loss we all feel. It is with great sadness we come to grips with the loss of one of our own,” it said.
“Stretch (David O’Sullivan) was an incredible operator with an attention to detail that could rival the cleanliest person out there.
“Washing and polishing skills that could bring magpies from districts away, loyal friend and all-round top bloke. He has left an everlasting impression on those who worked with him, knew him or had the pleasure of meeting him.
“We take this time to reflect on the laughter, happiness, knowledge, sweet treats, the hard times and the good times we have shared with him as a team and as individuals. We take solace in knowing Kirsty will be with him and how happy he will be to be reunited again.
“Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and our colleagues.
“Fly high Stretch. Your shift is over and we thank you for everything. We love and will remember you now and always. Kia Kaha.”
Police said O’Sullivan may have been unloading equipment from another truck when the incident happened about 6pm between Tikokino and Maraekakaho.
The stretch of highway was closed to traffic through Friday night and on Saturday for clearing of the scene and the police crash investigation. The road
reopened on Saturday afternoon.
According to Ministry of Transport online statistics, the nationwide road toll for 2021 was 148 at midnight on Thursday. That compared with 173 in 2019 and 125 to midnight June 10 last year.
In the Hawke’s Bay Police area (Napier, Hastings and Central Hawke’s Bay) seven people were killed in the January 1-June 10 portion of 2019, and eight in the same time span last year. Friday night’s tragedy was thought to be the seventh fatality on Hawke’s Bay roads this year.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing and police would like to speak to anyone who might be able to assist.
Anyone who saw an articulated truck and pilot vehicle in the area of SH50 between 5.30pm and 6.15pm on Friday June 11 is asked to get in touch. You can phone police on 105 and quote file number 210612/9336.
Police said their sympathies were with O’Sullivan’s family.
Meanwhile, Fire and Emergency services were kept busy in Hawke’s Bay over the weekend.
A fire at the Waipukurau landfill on
Friday night lasted nearly eight hours, a spokesman said. It was reported at 8.45pm and extinguished at 4am.
“It required three fire trucks, four tankers, a command unit and two rural trucks. Thankfully it was only rubbish on fire but that can take a while to extinguish.”
On Saturday, emergency services were called to four minor car crashes.
The first was in Hastings at 12.30pm, on Avenue Rd West, and Market St North. There were no injuries and no road blockages.
The second was on State Highway 50 at Maraekakaho, the second crash on the highway, including Friday night’s fatal.
The spokesman said a car ended up in a paddock off SH50. It was reported at 2.30pm but there were no reports of injuries. A single car crash at Swamp Rd, Fernhill, at 4pm, also resulted in no injuries.
Emergency services were also called after a crashed car was found at Pakowhai Rd at 10.30pm.
“When we got there, there was no one there. The car hit a fence and they did a runner.”
Leah Kahukura and her small family get roughly $1000 a week in the hand to pay their bills. Ten years ago, that would have been enough to be financially comfortable. Now, as they’ve discovered first-hand, they’re an economic shock away from genuine hardship.
It’s a situation that more families are facing in Hawke’s Bay as rental costs and the challenge of the housing market bite, financial experts say.
Kahukura lives in Napier with her partner and their 4-year-old daughter, Arairiana. She and her partner had been working for some time to save a deposit for a house when last year she lost one of her two jobs due to Covid.
Then the November floods hit Napier and they lost two cars and all of their furniture. Their insurance cover was so thin they ended up with a payout of just $70. Kahukura said it was devastating. “We lost both of our cars, one of which we were borrowing from my mum (the other we were paying off), all of our furniture and majority of our possessions — a lot of irreplaceable things,” she said. The house they were renting was also badly water damaged; luckily they had a good relationship with their landlord, who helped them find another rental.
This all happened shortly after Kahukura lost one of the two jobs she was working while studying full time, not long after the Covid-19 lockdown.
Now Kahukura and her partner earn just under $1100 a week. Both are on more than the minimum wage.
She said her family budgets meticulously to get by week to week but she’s lucky to have even $10 in her pocket at the end of the week.
The mother of one said buying a house had always been the main goal and dream for her and her partner, but since the floods, house prices in the region had soared and now she can’t see it happening in her lifetime.
Kahukura said other, unanticipated costs usually pop up through the week, but she tries to put a further $20 away into savings.
“This never stays in there long as this is what we try to use before touching our credit card, so if we need
to go to the doctor’s or something we use this account first,” she said.
The family’s minimum weekly outgoings are $1010, leaving them with about $80 a week if no other costs crop up. Kahukura said they’re blessed to be paying a reasonable price for their rental, which is about $100 cheaper than the average median price for a rental in Napier.
Saving for a house
In the 12 months from May 2020 to May 2021, the median house price in Hawke’s Bay has increased by $171,000 from $510,000 to $681,000, according to Oneroof statistics.
A 20 per cent deposit on the current median value house price would be about $136,200.
For the Kahukura family to save enough for a 20 per cent deposit,
putting away $80 a week, it would take the pair more than 1700 weeks — 32.7 years — for a median-priced house in Napier.
Finance Advice Hawke’s Bay director Michael Gallagher said there was clearly an affordability issue with living in Hawke’s Bay at the moment.
“It’s also about supply, there’s just not enough houses, which is unfortunately affecting the affordability option for people.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s a mortgage or paying rent — that is people’s biggest, weekly or regular expense. “The real problem is you would think $1000 a week, net, should be enough for people to survive in Hawke’s Bay, but it’s not because you have to spend $400 or $500 of that on housing costs.”
BudgetFirst manager Kristal Leach said the couple shouldn’t give up hope on their goal of owning a home.
She said BudgetFirst had many different types of people using its services, some through what is termed “financial shock”, especially after the Napier flood.
“A change-in-life event is usually what brings people in to see a service such as ours, because it’s either a relationship breakdown, or like this case an insurance issue from the Napier flood,” she said. “I wouldn’t give up hope at this stage, they just have to bounce back from that financial shock and put some money aside.”
Leach said this was where KiwiSaver was a great help as it allowed people to save, as well as their employer putting in the equivalent of 3 per cent of their gross pay.
Listing numbers have decreased and the effects of winter may be slowing the market down. Local QV valuer Damian Hall
The latest QV House Price Index suggests the rate of house price growth is “finally showing signs of slowing”, a local valuer says.
But a local real estate manager says the lower rate of price rise in Napier and Hastings could be down to lower sale numbers.
In Hastings, the average house price increased by 1.4 per cent in the past month to $808,466 - down on March’s 3.8 per cent increase and April’s 5.8 per cent.
In Napier, the average house price increased by just 0.03 per cent in one month to $798,824, which is “considerably less” than the 5.2 per cent and 3.6 per cent growth it registered back in April and March.
Local QV valuer Damian Hall said the month of May has shown “great contrasts” to the previous six to 12 months, with the rate of growth in house prices “finally showing signs of slowing” across the Hawke’s Bay region.
He said it’s “interesting” that Hastings’ average house price has overtaken Napier’s and said this could be due to “strong sales” in the higherpriced areas such as Havelock North.
“Listing numbers have decreased and the effects of winter may be slowing the market down. New Government regulations may also be taking effect now, but there is an expectation that investors won’t remain quiet for long. Perhaps it’s a sign that Hawke’s Bay has reached its peak of sustainable growth for now,” he said.
Tremains regional manager Stuart Christensen said the lower increases could be down to lower sale numbers.
“There’s no doubt stock levels are lower than before. Because the market is going so well, we can have a week or two when it’s quiet, then all of a sudden it will just ramp up again.”
He said they hadn’t seen a drop or levelling-off in house values.
Christensen did not think Hawke’s Bay had reached its peak of sustainable growth, saying there isn’t a problem with the population increasing but more housing to accommodate this is probably needed.
It has been a very happy time for me driving change for the betterment of our region, but sadly my health has other ideas and I can no longer give the energy and commitment that is required to properly serve this council and this community
Long-standing Hawke’s Bay Regional Council chairman and councillor Rex Graham has resigned amid the return of his cancer. Graham announced his resignation on Thursday, stating his new medication was causing “some grief” and making it difficult to fulfil his duties.
“I need to focus on my heath and take this opportunity to spend time with my family,” he said.
Graham said discussions were taking place with colleagues on an orderly transition to the end of the month.
“It has been a very happy time for me driving change for the betterment of our region, but sadly my health has other ideas and I can no longer give the energy and commitment that is required to properly serve this council and this community,” he said.
“I wish the council well in selecting their new chair and achieving their own unique agenda for the good of our environment and all the people in Hawke’s Bay.”
Graham said a new generation of “exceptional young people” would lead the region into the future.
“I have enjoyed my involvement with the region’s four mayors and I can assure you that the region is in very capable and safe hands,” he said.
“We collectively helped our new CEO to change the management environment, building a team that is envied around the country for their intellect, dedication and commitment. They will continue to drive an environmental agenda.”
Graham said regional parks have always been high on his priority list, citing his role in the development of the Waitangi Regional Park and Hawea
Park as highlights. He also said he was happy to be present for the creation of Maori wards.
“It was really gratifying that the vote was unanimous,” he said. “I have greatly enjoyed my involvement with tangata whenua and despite some cross words at times, I have made some really great and enduring friendships.”
In his first term as HBRC chairman, Graham made the decision to stop drilling oil and gas near the region’s waterways.
“We lead the nation on this and it is one of my proudest moments,” he said.
He also cited his involvement in the Napier Port IPO, which enabled the port to build a new wharf and at the same time, “strengthen council’s balance sheet, which is $200 million better off as a result of this deal”.
But despite his achievements across his tenure, Graham said, “In politics, you don’t win all the battles“.
“I remain disappointed that we continue to permit the burning of green wood which pollutes our air, especially on the Heretaunga plains with its strong inversion layers.”
Rex Graham
Council chief executive James Palmer said Graham “worked tirelessly on behalf of the region” to protect and enhance the environment.
“Rex has been very supportive of council staff and a champion for their wellbeing, and we have appreciated his leadership and support,” he said.
“We understand the reasons for him standing down and we wish him and his family the very best for his health.”
Napier ward member Hinewai Ormsby, who burst on to the scene just 20 months ago as a new councillor, with the highest vote among all wards and already chairwoman of the core-functions Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee, confirmed to Hawke’s Bay Today she has developed a keenness to become council chairwoman at some stage, but it’s a question of “timing”.
She said her passion and commitment in anything in which she gets involved tends to lead to leadership roles.
However, with the council option it was a case of councillors developing a transition strategy and deciding who was best fitted to lead the council in the foreseeable future.
If asked, she said, she would have to consider “all sorts of things” including children and family and other roles.