More calls for Ports of Auckland CEO's resignation after health and safety review

Wednesday, 7 April 2021

Phil Goff comments on Ports of Auckland investigation

Community leaders are calling for Ports of Auckland chief executive Tony Gibson to resign following the release of a damning health and safety report.

The review, which was released last week, said serious health and safety changes need to be madefollowing three fatalities at the ports in as many years.

Among the recommendations were that the chief executive “prioritise safety over productivity and profitability”, help to change “at risk behaviours”, and communicate proactively to staff about safety, instead of reactively.

The Maritime Union said last week the review confirmed its long-standing concerns about the company, and it called for Gibson to be removed.

A recently-released review of the Ports of Auckland has found “serious” health and safety changes need to be made. (File photo)

* Wife of injured Auckland port worker furious at CEO's response to safety failings

* 'Significant' health and safety changes needed at Ports of Auckland, review finds

Former MP Tau Henare, former Labour Party campaign manager and union official Shane Te Pou, and FIRST Union general secretary Robert Reid said they will deliver a letter to the Ports of Auckland offices on Thursday, containing a written statement from the trio calling for Gibson’s resignation.

The statement slammed the company over the recent deaths and said the Ports had an “appalling safety record”.

Laboom Midnight Dyer, Palaamo Kalati and Leslie Gelberger died as the result of incidents at the Ports of Auckland over a three-year period.

“It beggars belief that Tony Gibson has said that he was unaware or many of the issues raised but will stay on to put things right,” it said.

“We are not the kind of people who call on people to resign for trivial mistakes – the report has found systemic health and safety failings, and if Tony Gibson was unaware of these as CEO, it is all the more reason for him to resign.

“It’s obvious that Mayor Phil Goff, a number of councillors and the Maritime Union have no confidence in Tony Gibson. It seems Auckland Council have no say in the CEO of a company that they are a 100 per cent owner of.”

The letter called on Ports chairman Bill Osborne to ask Gibson to resign.

“If Bill Osborne refuses to do this, then Auckland Council must ask for his resignation and replace him with someone committed to the health and safety of its workforce and who is prepared to replace the current CEO with someone who shares these concerns.”

Ocean swimmer Leslie Gelberger died in 2017 after being struck by a Ports of Auckland pilot boat, and the following year, young father Laboom Midnight Dyer died after the straddle carrier he was driving tipped.

In 2020, 31-year-old Pala’amo (Amo) Kalati died after being crushed by a container, which led to Maritime NZ slapping the company with a notice to urgently improve safety.

The company has been fined $424,000 over Gelberger’s death and $540,000 over Dyer's death.

At a press conference last week, Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said the three deaths were “deeply concerning” and “shocking” and reflected a “serious systemic problem”.

Auckland Council is the 100 per cent shareholder of Ports of Auckland but holds no legal power over it, Goff said.

However, as the owner, it has a responsibility to address what is “clearly a serious problem”.

Goff said he had made it clear to the Ports’ chairman Bill Osborne that changes need to be made to the way the company is run.

A Ports of Auckland spokesman said Gibson would not be making any further comments on the safety report.

“Our focus is on implementing the report,” the spokesman said.