External review of Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park landslide

An independent reviewer has been appointed to lead the external review of the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park landslide.

Mayor Mahé Drysdale has appointed Hon Paul Davison KC as the independent reviewer to undertake the Tauranga City Council external review of the tragic landslide at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park on 22 January 2026.

Hon Paul Davison KC is a retired judge of the High Court who also sat as a member of a Divisional Court of Appeal. He retired from the High Court in 2023 and has since resumed practice at the Bar as a mediator, arbitrator, and provider of litigation and consultancy advice.

Hon Davison has appeared as counsel before several major commissions of inquiry, notably including the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Air New Zealand DC 10 accident at Mt Erebus. Last year, he undertook the government-appointed role of Independent Arbiter responsible for determining financial redress for survivors of the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit.

The external review will consider:

• the facts, timeline and decision-making processes in the lead up to the landslide at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park
• the adequacy of risk assessments and monitoring systems
• any lessons or improvements needed to strengthen future safety

Mayor Mahé says that while the Terms of Reference are focused on the immediate period in the lead up to the landslide, the scope allows all relevant information to be considered, within any timeframe, if Mr Davison believes it is appropriate.

The external review is expected to be completed by the middle of 2026 and will be released to the community once received.

View the full Terms of Reference for the external review (121kb pdf)

Read the media release