The three companies responsible for contributing to a landslide near Queenstown’s Skyline gondola in 2023 must pay more than $700,000 in fines and reparation for their role in the calamity.
Skyline Enterprises, Naylor Love Central Otago and Wilson Contractors (2003) Ltd were sentenced in the Christchurch District Court today.
After an investigation and prosecution by the Queenstown Lakes District Council, the three companies all admitted a single charge each under the Resource Management Act.
Judge John Hassan said decisions made by the defendants in the few months leading up to the landslide were driven by "commercial expediency" in order to minimise the shutdown of Skyline's gondola operation during the redevelopment of its top station.
Heavy rain on the night of September 21-22 — the highest 24-hour rainfall recorded in the resort town for decades — dislodged a stockpile of rock and soil that plunged down the Ben Lomond Reserve and onto several properties in the Reavers Lane area.
The landside forced the evacuation of 41 residents, damaged buildings and other property, and prompted the declaration of a state of local emergency.
Its failure to take action to address that risk was "highly careless behaviour".
However, Naylor Love was the most to blame "by some margin", he said.
It was either "reckless" or acted with a "level of incompetence not in keeping with its significant experience in the industry".
Wilson Contractors had a relatively minor role in the project, effectively supplying machinery and people to Naylor Love.
However, given its long experience in the earthworks industry, its failure to recognise the stockpile was an "unstable landslide in waiting" was careless.
Judge Hassan convicted the three companies and imposed fines and reparation of $310,900 for Naylor Love, $271,000 for Skyline and $121,600 for Wilson.
