"An act of God" saw a council-maintained tree damage the car of an elderly resident, and Whangarei District Council is washing its hands of the situation.
Ruth Thompson was having her hair cut at Combs 'N' Co Salon at the Onerahi shops earlier this month when her hairdresser looked out the window and gave her some bad news.
A frond from a palm tree in the carpark had fallen in the wind and left a large dent in the bonnet of Ms Thompson's car, which now needed to be replaced.
"Five minutes before it could have been me standing there. If it had hit me it could have killed me," Ms Thompson said.
She contacted her insurance company, who in turn contacted the council to be told it was policy not to pay out in such instances. Because the council denied liability, Ms Thompson is required to pay a $350 excess, which she feels is unfair given that the council is responsible for making sure the trees are safe.