An adventure company ordered to pay fines and reparation
totalling nearly $150,000 over fatal safety failures after
the death of English tourist Emily Jordan is seeking to
expand its operation and increase client numbers.
Mad Dog River Boarding has lodged a resource consent
application with Lakes Environmental to carry an extra 100
clients daily and extend the stretch of Kawerau River on
which it operates.
It currently has consent for 200 clients daily.
The application states the original consent capped the number
of customers because of the potential for large numbers of
people on the river detracting from the area's "sense of
remoteness and isolation".
The view of Southern Planning Group planner Tim Walsh was the
river, which runs next to State Highway 6 and has many points
where people can access it, was "not particularly remote when
compared to other locations in the district".
The company has changed its safety training and practices to
fit new national guidelines since the death of Ms Jordan, who
drowned after getting caught between submerged rocks while
riverboarding with Mad Dog on the Kawarau River on April 29
last year.
Black Sheep Adventures Ltd - Mad Dog's parent company - was
fined $66,000 and ordered to pay $80,000 in reparation to Ms
Jordan's family after admitting two charges.
The resource consent application stated Mad Dog considered
safety of customers, staff and other river users was
"essential for the successful operation of their business"
and was running its training and qualification programme in
accordance with the new Maritime New Zealand riverboarding
guidelines, introduced in response to Ms Jordan's death.
The company is waiting for written approvals from Ngai Tahu,
the QLDC harbourmaster, Maritime New Zealand, Fish and Game,
the New Zealand Transport Agency and Pioneer Generation,
which owns the Roaring Meg power station.
All have been identified by Lakes Environmental as affected
parties.
