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The country's longest-serving mayor says he will never live in a cliff-top property again after what he describes as the most traumatic experience of his life.
Sir Barry Curtis and his partner moved into rented accommodation this month after engineers ordered them out of their Bucklands Beach apartment, in Auckland's eastern suburbs.
The apartment and several houses on Clovelly Rd were condemned by the Earthquake Commission after they began moving in a landslip this month.
Sir Barry, mayor of Manukau City in South Auckland for 24 years until he retired last year, said he now knew the pain and suffering people went through when they lost their house to a fire or natural disaster.
Sir Barry owned two of the site's three apartments. All three were condemned. He would not say what they were worth.
"We are in a helpless, hopeless situation."
Sir Barry said he was given about two hours to move out and left behind many fixtures and fittings with great sentimental value.
"It was a very traumatic experience, the most traumatic I have ever had," Sir Barry said.
"The most important thing is that we got out with our lives.
"But having experienced crashing glass at two o'clock in the morning ... I never want to experience that again because that is just reminiscent, I am sure, of a home invasion."
Sir Barry said he was still not sure how much the insurance and Earthquake Commission would pay out. He said losing a home to an act of God was a sad and traumatic experience.
"It has been a terrible emotional experience that I would never wish to traverse again.
"It has been absolutely horrendous and to see your home that you loved, admired and enjoyed living in, a haven of relaxation - a beautiful location overlooking the islands of Hauraki Gulf - to have it taken away from you by an act of God, one begins to think just what you have done to cause that kind of reaction in your life."
He said he had had support from throughout New Zealand.
Sir Barry, a surveyor and town planner in his early career, was mayor of Manukau from 1983 until last year.
When he announced he would not seek re-election last year, he said he came from a poor family.
"My father was a waterside worker. That is why I know how it feels to be born on the wrong side of the tracks. I never forget that."
- NZPA
