Erebus memorial: ‘God willing I’ll still be around when it is constructed’

David Allan says the memorial has been an "appalling saga".

By RNZ

A man whose family members were killed in the Erebus crash says time is of the essence to get the memorial built.

The Ministry of Heritage and Culture yesterday revealed recent cyclone damage and slips at Auckland’s Dove Meyer Robinson Park means it is no longer safe to build the controversial 17-metre-long Sky Song bridge there.

It is more than 43 years since the Air NZ scenic flight over Antarctica crashed into the side of Mount Erebus, killing all 257 people onboard.

It remains New Zealand’s largest peacetime loss of life.

David Allan, whose parents and sister Jane died in the crash, told Checkpoint he is optimistic a new location could provide a clean slate, and a completed memorial, by the 45th anniversary at the end of 2024.

Allan said initially it was very disappointing news to get, though not surprising.

“We go forward and it’s a bit like the disaster itself and fate happens and that’s what’s happening. You just have to get up and get on with it and be positive,” he said.

“The whole topic has been an appalling saga really and that’s embraced so many aspects of it, but particularly the last couple of years have been unduly frustrating.”

It should not be such a complicated process, he said.

Allan hopes from here it will be a smooth and quick process to find a new location.

“My understanding is and the impression I got this morning is that they will endeavour to keep as much of those principles as of that design as they can. But I I guess one’s got to be realistic as to what the cost might be and be and its suitability for the location that’s finally determined.”

Wreckage from the Mt Erebus site where an Air New Zealand DC-10 crash killed 275 people in November 1979.

Many of the families are desperate to have a national memorial but have faced significant delays because of some vocal opposition to the Government’s chosen location - Auckland’s Mayor Wayne Brown included.

“I think he’d be better just to keep out of it, frankly,” Allan said. “There were agendas there that were totally unhelpful.”

Allan hopes a memorial will be constructed in time for the 45th anniversary.

“Time is of the essence, as has been pointed out by few people, and I mean, I was 32 when it happened and I’ll be 76 for this anniversary.

“God willing, I’ll still be around when it is constructed. The bulk of the nation can’t believe that this is still going on.

“It’s just frankly, it’s an indictment of our society that we can’t bring ourselves together and build a memorial to our worst civil disaster ever. And we’re still talking about it 40-odd years on.”

Ministry of Culture and Heritage deputy chief executive delivery Glenis Philip-Barbara said she was gutted to deliver the news to families.

Glenis Philip-Barbara says the Government is committed to seeing the memorial built. Photo / RNZ / Dom Thomas

“I’ve spoken with members of the Erebus families who are in their 80s, and they’re desperate to see it built,” Philip-Barbara told Checkpoint.

“We are absolutely committed to seeing this built. I mean, no one could have predicted the impact of Covid on Australia and New Zealand. We didn’t expect the delays that we got and certainly the weather that took everybody by surprise and this memorial isn’t the only thing that’s been affected by the weather.”

The Government has given a commitment to families to work as hard and fast as it can on a solution, she said.

It was committed to finding a place in Auckland for the memorial and would like to keep the same design if possible, she said.

“There were family members who told us this morning that they were happy, almost relieved, in fact, to be able to leave some of that toxicity behind, they were badly affected by some of the protest activity and are looking forward to moving forward positively.”

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the decision was not the Government’s to make but it will go back to the drawing board and “make sure that there is an appropriate recognition of those who lost their lives at Erebus”.

“Clearly we’re going to have to rethink what that looks like. And where that might be. But we are we remain committed to ensuring that there is an appropriate recognition of those who lost their lives at Erebus.”

The Government wants to see things through, he said.

- RNZ