Hawke’s Bay’s Civil Defence group controller Ian Macdonald resigns

By RNZ

Hawke’s Bay’s Civil Defence group controller Ian Macdonald has resigned.

He was on leave when Cyclone Gabrielle hit and has since faced huge public backlash for not acting quick enough to evacuate people and save lives.

Residents have been calling for his resignation for 16 months, and his last day will be August 30.

An independent review, led by former Police Commissioner Mike Bush, found that civil defence failed in its response to the cyclone.

Ian Macdonald was on leave at the time of Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Warren Buckland

It said as the weather event intensified, the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Emergency Coordination Centre “lacked situational awareness and intelligence about much of the danger and damage until too late”.

Eight people died in Hawke’s Bay and the cyclone caused widespread damage across the region, destroying hundreds of homes and causing power outages that cut communities off for weeks.

When RNZ asked Ian Macondald in February about his decision to go away tramping before the cyclone, he said he was comfortable he’d made the right call.

“Yes, I am comfortable I made that call because that was the Wednesday before the cyclone, and at that stage the cyclone was up in Vanuatu. (Macdonald later added there were no MetService watches or warnings at that time).

“The last three years - Covid lockdowns, the Napier floods and the Nelson-Tasman floods - have been unprecedented for the emergency management sector. So look, everybody needs a break and I hadn’t had leave for quite a long time and it was pre-planned leave, a long time ahead,” said Macdonald.

- RNZ