Embattled NZTA boss resigns

Monday, 10 December 2018

NZTA head Fergus Gammie said he had resigned to allow a review of the organisation to be completed 'without any distraction.'

New Zealand Transport Agency Fergus Gammie has resigned, saying the move will allow a review of the organisation to be done 'without any distraction'.

The agency board accepted his resignation on Monday and he will be gone by the New Year.

The announcement comes after fallout from the agency's poor enforcement of transport regulations with the recall of almost 20,000 vehicles needing warrant of fitness retests as a growing number of garages and vehicle inspectors were suspended for sub standard work.

Law firm Meredith Connell was appointed to oversee a review of 850 outstanding compliance files including a case where a Dargaville mechanic warranted a car which crashed a short time later killing a passenger whose seat belt failed.

* Review after transport safety agency's WOF system failure

* 'Heads will roll': Over 3700 Auckland motorists urged to get WOF rechecks after certifier suspended

Thousands of vehicle owners, mostly in Auckland, have been urged to get new warrants of fitness following the suspension of WOF inspectors and garages.

* NZTA told to start handing out red cards on WOFs after fatal crash**

Minister of Transport Phil Twyford also ordered an external review of the agency by his ministry, and police recently launched an investigation into fraud involving unauthorised access to the agency's driver licensing register.

Gammie, who took over as chief executive in March 2016, said he was proud of the work he had overseen during his tenure.

It included reopening State Highway 1 from Picton to Christchurch one year after the devastating Kaikoura earthquake and setting NZTA 'on a path towards being a modern multimodal transport agency.'

However, members of the transport industry were critical of his restructuring moves which they blamed for 'gutting' the agency of expertise, leading to lax enforcement of transport regulations.

In a media release about his decision to stand down Gammie again admitted the agency had been reliant on education and self-regulation rather than focusing attention and resources.

'In resigning, I note that the approach and focus of the Transport Agency has necessarily changed.

'I ask that full support be given to the board, management team, and Meredith Connell as they work towards resolving the outstanding issues, and towards developing a stronger regulatory enforcement framework to ensure the public has confidence in the Transport Agency's processes,' said Gammie.

He will step down at the end of December and the NZTA board will make an announcement regarding the recruitment of a new chief executive in the New Year.