Death at site leads to charges for developer

An Auckland property developer has been charged over the collapse of a wall that killed a construction worker in the central city.

Brent Clode, a kayaker for New Zealand at the 1988 Olympics, faces more than 40 charges brought by the Labour Department and the Auckland City Council.

The charges relate to alleged safety breaches at a construction site in Parliament St where Clode was developing a multi-level apartment block.

Labourer Te Rue Taparia Tearetoa was crushed to death when an earth bank collapsed in January, triggering inquiries by the council and the department's Occupational Safety and Health division.

The department declined to comment on the case yesterday, but documents laid in the Auckland District Court show it has charged Clode under the Health and Safety in Employment Act.

Three companies of which he is a director have also been charged.

The department alleges that not all practicable steps were taken to ensure the safety of Mr Tearetoa and two fellow workers.

Charges laid by the council allege Clode breached the Building Act.

The council's compliance manager, Barry Smedts, said charges had also been laid against several companies.

Clode could not be reached for comment yesterday but his lawyer, Graeme Christie, said the allegations would be vigorously defended.

He understood work was progressing on the site.

Clode has been summonsed to appear in court in three weeks.

Mr Tearetoa 39, of Mangere, had worked as a labourer for Allied Workforce on and off for six years before the accident.

One of his fellow workers suffered a broken leg.