Some 40 properties in Tauranga and the Western Bay have been identified as part of investigations into alleged forgery. Photo / Mead Norton
Some 40 properties in Tauranga and the Western Bay have been identified as part of investigations into alleged forgery. Photo / Mead Norton
A Taupō man who allegedly forged the signatures of qualified engineers had involvement in about 40 Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty properties, councils say.
A police investigation is under way into engineering technologist Jonathan (Jon) Beau Hall, director of Kodiak Consulting Limited. No charges have been laid.
Engineering New Zealand, which Hall is a member of, claimed in a statement last month that Hall had allegedly completed and signed documents using others’ identities and credentials without their permission.
Chief executive Richard Templer said the documents include producer statements, which provide assurance to councils that a design meets Building Code and consenting requirements when signed by a Chartered Professional Engineer.
Nationwide, potentially 1000 building consents and 40 local authorities could be impacted.
Templer said owners with concerns about their properties should contact their local council first, and Engineering NZ’s website had a public search to check whether members and Chartered Professional Engineers have outstanding notices against them.
“‘Chartered Professional Engineer’ is a protected title and quality mark for engineers who have undergone a competency assessment, and one that councils should be able to trust,” Templer said.
“As such, we take the matter of alleged misrepresentation very seriously, and are passing on any relevant information to the police and relevant authorities.”
A notice under Hall’s membership on Engineering New Zealand’s database said “pending investigation”.
Western Bay of Plenty District Council general manager of regulatory services Alison Curtis said 27 potentially affected properties had been identified.
This came after a review of all compliance certificates issued in the past six years and double-checking of their authenticity, she said.
The affected properties were across the district, from Maketū and Pongakawa through to Waihī Beach and Athenree.
The Western Bay of Plenty District Council has found 27 potentially affected properties. Photo / Alex Cairns
“We have contacted all property owners, and builders and designers directly, and are now investigating these affected properties and what actions are needed going forward,” Curtis said.
“We understand this issue might cause concern for those affected and are providing property reports, free of charge.”
Curtis said the council acknowledged the support of Engineering NZ.
“When [the] council was notified, we immediately began an investigation into the extent of this issue for building activities within our district and sought expert advice,” Curtis said.
“As this investigation is ongoing we won’t be making any further comment.”
Tauranga City Council general manager of regulatory and compliance Sarah Omundsen said the lawyer representing the engineer involved had informed the council about 13 properties were “potentially impacted”.
“Our engineers have conducted a thorough review of the affected properties in Tauranga and, at this stage, consider the risk to be low based on our regulatory review,” Omundsen said.
“We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents and will continue to monitor the situation closely. We are also actively collaborating with the police, Engineering NZ, and MBIE to ensure all information and findings are shared and addressed appropriately.”
Last month, Rotorua Lakes Council staff told a meeting it was dealing with 21 projects Hall had been involved in. Seven were in the construction phase and the developers or property owners had already been spoken to to arrange potential changes, if needed, before completion. Property owners of the remaining 14 were sent letters.
A police spokeswoman said the investigation was ongoing and it was expected to be a lengthy matter.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment was also investigating.
The ministry’s national manager of building system assurance Simon Thomas said no charges had been laid and it continued to work with police, local authorities and Engineering New Zealand in relation to this case.
Last month, the ministry’s building policy manager Amy Moorhead said a Building Consent System review was being modernised to give assurance to building owners and users that buildings are healthy, safe and durable, she said.
Included in the proposals was to clarify the purpose, status and use of producer statements.
It is consulting on whether there should be restrictions on who can issue one and the appropriate criteria to assess their reliability.
Attempts were made to contact Hall for comment via phone.
- additional reporting Laura Smith, Local Democracy Reporter
Kiri Gillespie is an assistant news director and a senior journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, specialising in local politics and city issues. She was a finalist for the Voyager Media Awards Regional Journalist of the Year in 2021.
