NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Premium
Home / New Zealand

Shane Te Pou: It's time for Ports of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson to go

By Shane Te Pou
NZ Herald·
12 Apr, 2021 05:00 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Tau Henare, Shane Te Pou and Robert Reid from First Union outside the Ports of Auckland calling for the resignation of chief executive Tony Gibson. Photo / Dean Purcell

Tau Henare, Shane Te Pou and Robert Reid from First Union outside the Ports of Auckland calling for the resignation of chief executive Tony Gibson. Photo / Dean Purcell

Opinion

OPINION:

Last week, I joined with former MP Tau Henare and First Union president Robert Reid to deliver a blunt message to Ports of Auckland chairman Bill Osborne: It's time for your chief executive to go.

Two things compelled us to act.

First, like most Aucklanders, we were alarmed by the findings of a review into safety at the ports, which, in Robert Reid's words, "really blew the whistle on what was happening at Ports of Auckland".

Second, we were horrified by response to the review of Ports chief executive Tony Gibson, which was in my opinion arrogant and dismissive. Both factors suggested to us that Gibson is not up the job - and in my view this isn't acceptable for a publicly-owned entity whose failures can be measured in lost lives.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Over a three-year period, two workers at the Ports of Auckland lost their lives due to incidents on the wharves, and in 2017 a pilot boat going at seven times the legal speed limit struck and killed an ocean swimmer. Numerous other injuries and near misses have been reported. Such an appalling safety record has no place in New Zealand in 2021.

The chief executive of the Ports of Auckland has failed in his duty of care, writes Shane Te Pou. Photo / Michael Craig
The chief executive of the Ports of Auckland has failed in his duty of care, writes Shane Te Pou. Photo / Michael Craig

In March, a review by Construction Health and Safety New Zealand (CHSNZ) placed responsibility squarely on Ports of Auckland (POAL) management, finding "systemic problems at POAL in relation to critical Health and Safety risk management and organisational culture that relate to Health and Safety".

The review found "opportunity for significant improvement" - in my view a polite way of saying the status quo is a disaster.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

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

Taken as a whole, the review in my opinion could hardly be more damning - which is what makes POAL's actions since its release so baffling and infuriating to me. Take these words from their public response to the review, which stopped me in my tracks: "The report has focused on the things that need improving, which can make it appear like a daunting challenge for the organisation. However, it is not."

Discover more

New Zealand|politics

What does new Covid case mean for transtasman bubble?

12 Apr 01:40 AM
Opinion

Michael Wood: Why Govt has taken track it has with Auckland rail

12 Apr 05:38 AM
New Zealand

Auckland beaches unsafe for swimming after heavy rainfall

11 Apr 11:40 PM
Politics

Cancer patient pays $2000 a week to have drug injected

11 Apr 11:59 PM

Imagine that. A review finds systemic, cultural, process and communications failures across your organisation leading to avoidable death and injury - and your response, in my view, boils down to "no big deal".

It really begs the question of POAL board and management: if making your workplace safe is such a walk in the park - so undaunting, in your own terms - what on earth stopped you from doing it sooner?

Ports CEO Tony Gibson offered one explanation for past failures during an appearance on Radio New Zealand's Checkpoint programme last December: Māori and Pasifika workers who, he claimed, are too "shy" to report safety concerns.

Ports of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson. Photo / Doug Sherring
Ports of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson. Photo / Doug Sherring

To me, if there's reluctance on the part of your workforce to share critical health and safety information, the problem is with the culture of your organisation - not the cultural heritage of your workers.

Despite leading an organisation owned by the public via Auckland Council's 100 per cent stake, it seems to me Tony Gibson just doesn't get it.

Mayor Phil Goff knows full well the chain of command, as shown by his comments in response to the CHSNZ review. "Changes need to be made to the way the Ports run," Goff said, "and it is my expectation that he [Gibson] and the board will hold management accountable for these changes. Council, in turn, will hold the board accountable".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It's clear to me what must happen now. In my opinion, Gibson should resign. If he doesn't, the Board should act. If they refuse, the Council should sort out the Board.

The stakes really are that high.

It is Gibson's duty to protect the health and lives of the kaimahi on that port. I believe he has failed in that duty - too many people have been injured, and too many families have lost loved ones.

What's worse, the Ports' response to the review gives us no confidence they appreciate the gravity or urgency of the safety challenge. Quite the opposite. Instead, there has been lots of downplaying and blame-shifting, along with an imperious refusal to engage with the public or media beyond carefully crafted talking points. The focus seems more on protecting reputations than saving lives.

A change of chief executive may be a blunt tool but, in the case of Tony Gibson and the Ports of Auckland it is, in my view, the essential next step in turning the organisation around.

Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Man hides out in bush for 5 months after slicing victim with machete over $20

New Zealand

Measles spreads beyond Wairarapa, 6 locations of interest in Feilding

Entertainment

Kiwi singer known for hit song Haere Mai (Everything is Kapai) dies


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Man hides out in bush for 5 months after slicing victim with machete over $20
New Zealand

Man hides out in bush for 5 months after slicing victim with machete over $20

Christopher Millen went bush, stealing a rifle, tools and a sheep from a nearby house.

17 Jul 08:00 AM
Measles spreads beyond Wairarapa, 6 locations of interest in Feilding
New Zealand

Measles spreads beyond Wairarapa, 6 locations of interest in Feilding

17 Jul 07:43 AM
Kiwi singer known for hit song Haere Mai (Everything is Kapai) dies
Entertainment

Kiwi singer known for hit song Haere Mai (Everything is Kapai) dies

17 Jul 07:11 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP