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Fraud Rife in New Zealand

New Zealand is perceived as being the least corrupt nation on earth, but perception doesn’t always match up to reality.

Many of New Zealand’s largest businesses listed on the NZX50 don’t pass some fundamental best practice ethics tests and fraud is rife in smaller businesses, government departments are not immune

Government dept WINZ fails to stop staff fraud – “An internal fraud unit at Work and Income was not able to prevent 13 cases of staff theft in the past five years, involving sums totalling more than $180,000. Since 2006, a dozen employees of the Social Development Ministry have either lied to procure welfare payments or deliberately defrauded the system from within, documents disclosed to The Dominion Post under the Official Information Act show…” (April 2010)

nor are universities free from “financial irregularities.”

“Fraud is hurting the not-for-profit (NFP) sector and more needs to be done to police the issue according to accounting firm BDO. BDO’s 2012 Not-For-Profit Fraud survey shows that reported fraud is down 19% to 12% there are concerns fraud is still going undetected. There is a “it won’t happen to us” attitude within the NFP sector, BDO’s NFP sector leader Bernard Lamusse said.

“While the majority of respondents (86%) agree that fraud is a problem for the sector as a whole, only 8% believe it’s a problem for their individual organisation. This could also explain why 72% of respondents still don’t see a great importance in fraud prevention,” Mr Lamusse said.

A major concern is the significant rise in amounts stolen via electronic funds transfer and online banking – on average costing an organisation $370,000, which accounts for nearly half of the total value of fraud committed.” more here NBR

The largest employee theft committed in New Zealand was by former ASB investment banker Stephen Versalko, who stole $17.8 million over nine years. source.

Despite stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars people are frequently sentenced to nothing more onerous than community service, it seems that little can be done to stem the rising tide of fraud within New Zealand. Even the banks don’t seem to be able to control it:

Bank Manager convicted of $1.4 million theft
27 April 2012

A long-running employee fraud case concluded today when Susan Ann Bourton, a 36 year-old former Hamilton Westpac Bank Manager was convicted of 81 charges of defrauding her employer of $1.4 million.

Bourton would target vulnerable clients who did not know how to use phone or internet banking, and kept for herself the money they handed over to her. She also created accounts in customers names without their knowledge and altered loan documents to fraudulently obtain funds to buy a luxury lodge in Lake Karapiro Lodge

She resigned from the bank when she thought her frauds were about to be discovered, later moving to Ireland. However, she was arrested in July 2009 when she came back to New Zealand for a holiday.

Bourton managed to delay her trial for several years because she kept hiring and then firing successive lawyers she had engaged to defend her – seven lawyers in all. She has been remanded in custody for sentencing in June.
Read more: http://www.verify.co.nz/news-theftnz.php

How Widespread Is Cannabis Use in NZ’s Adventure Tourism Industry

Cannabis use may be widespread in New Zealand’s adventure tourism industry

After the shocking revelation that Lance Hopping, the pilot involved in the Carterton Ballooning tragedy in which 11 people died, was found with cannabis in his system we’re asking how widespread is the use of this illegal drug in New Zealand’s adventure tourism industry, and how much of a factor does it play in the industry’s high accident rate?

Yesterday a report into the Fox Glacier Sky Dive NZ crash also found that two of the jump masters were also found to be under the influence of cannabis.

We think its time for New Zealand to require mandatory drug and alcohol testing for everyone employed in the adventure tourism industry. With more frequent testing of people involved in high risk activities where operator error may lead to serious consequences for thrill seekers.

Additionally, drug and alcohol testing must be carried out on operators immediately after an accident or fatality.

If New Zealand’s reputation as a safe tourism destination is have any degree of credibility the government will take this issue seriously and deal with it swiftly to allay public concerns.

From Stuff

“Balloon crash pilot had smoked cannabis – report

The pilot of January’s balloon tragedy in Carterton was flying with cannabis in his system when he crashed, killing all 11 people on board.

Toxicology tests performed on the body of Lance Hopping, 53, four days after the crash returned positive for cannabis, with the discovery described as “concerning” by investigators.

The findings were part of an interim report issued by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) this morning, four months after the balloon struck powerlines, caught fire and crashed into a field on January 7…

…yesterday TAIC called for an alcohol and drug testing regime to be implemented for people performing activities critical to flight safety, after announcing that two tandem skydive masters had smoked cannabis before a Skydive New Zealand plane crashed after takeoff from Fox Glacier in September 2010.

While this morning’s report contains a number of details about what happened on the day, it includes no analysis of those facts, nor any recommendations or key lessons to be learned from the crash.

Instead those findings would be reserved for TAIC’s final report due in March next year.

The families of the victims were briefed on the report last month, and it is understood several people have had drafts of the report for weeks, including the balloon company owners, members of Hopping’s ground crew, and his fiancee Nina Kelynack.”

read more

New Zealand has highest cannabis use

According to data compiled by the site Nationmaster.com New Zealand has the highest rate of cannabis use:

Other blogs tagged Cannabis

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BBC Interview with family of Bradley Coker. Adventure Tourism must learn from NZ crash. Cannabis Use

The BBC has screened an interview with the family of Bradley Coker.

Bradley, a British tourist, died along with eight other people when a sky diving plane crashed over the Fox Glacier on the day of the Christchurch earthquake. His death was one of many in the adventure tourism sector in New Zealand, one that is perceived to be poorly regulated and with a high accident rate.

In a statement to the BBC, Prime Minister John Key said approximately 50 people had been killed in the adventure tourism sector in the last 8 years.

from the BBC interview with Bradley’s family:

“To anyone thinking about going to New Zealand on an adrenaline sport think twice, the report is a catalogue of errors from both the CAA and the sky diving company” … regulations “not enforced”… “two of the tandem masters had actually taken controlled drugs before they got on the plane” (cannabis)

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For more about New Zealand’s drug problem read this report in the NZ Herald NZ’s world-high drug use no surprise – Experts

BBC:

“The family of a British man who was killed when the aircraft taking him on skydiving trip crashed in New Zealand, has called for a review of aviation safety to stop a further tragedy happening again.

Bradley Coker, 24, died on South Island in 2010 while trying skydiving, along with eight other people. An accident investigation report found a catalogue of errors.

Bradley’s father Chris, sister Elizabeth, and his girlfriend Hayley Denham, want safety to be reinforced in so-called adrenaline sports”.

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Other countries who lost their nationals in the disaster have also reported on the crash, and on the official investigation into one of New Zealand’s worst air disasters.

The Fox Glacier crash was before the Carterton ballooning tragedy in which 11 people were engulfed in flames. The balloon pilot, Lance Hopping, was later found to have cannabis in his system at the time of his death. Remarkably, two of the jump masters in the skydiving crash were also found to have taken cannabis prior to the flight.

Adventure tourism must learn from NZ crash

“THE authors of a report criticising aviation regulators following a skydiving plane crash in New Zealand that killed nine people, including two Australians, in 2010 say there are lessons to be learned by all adventure tourism operators.

The modified topdressing plane, carrying four foreign tourists, four tandem jumpers and a pilot, had too much weight in the rear of the plane when it tried to take off on September 4, 2010, causing it to rise very sharply and at too low a speed to be controllable.
NZ Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) investigator Ian McClelland says the plane flew regularly with eight passengers, producing too much weight in the rear of the plane, and the owners and pilot were not checking weight and balance as they should be.
But he also says regulation of adventure aviation was not what it should be, that the modifications to the plane were poorly managed, and discrepancies in the modification documents weren’t picked up by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) when it approved them.

“The CAA lost the opportunity to correct the company’s errors,” Mr McClelland said…” more here

 You may also be interested in:

British FCO advice to travellers about New Zealand(May 2011)

“There have been a number of tragic accidents involving British visitors; these also include extreme sporting accidents. If you intend to participate in extreme sports do check that the company is well established in the industry and that your insurance covers you. If you intend visiting remote areas, check with local tourist authorities for advice before setting out. Ensure that you register your details with a Visitor Information Centre or family or friends. Weather conditions can quickly become treacherous in some areas so keep yourself informed of regional weather forecasts.”

Australian Advice to travellers about New Zealand (May 2011)

“Many tourists safely undertake adventure activities in New Zealand. However, many adventure tourism activities have inherent risks, and there have been a number of serious accidents involving Australians and other tourists, some resulting in deaths. Some operators have been found to be negligent. You should be aware that safety standards in New Zealand’s adventure tourism industry may differ between individual operators and may differ from those in Australia.

Travellers need to make their own careful judgements about the risks involved in individual or group activities and of the safety standards of individual operators. We strongly recommend travellers inquire with individual operators about the safety standards adhered to, whether these standards are applied across the industry and the risks involved in the activity. We recommend travellers hold travel insurance and complementary accident or income protection insurance and understand what circumstances and activities are not covered by the policies.”

facebook.com/nzsafety 

 ”I am German and have been in NZ for the past 4-5 years. I completely support this site and strongly confirm these allegatons. NZ has no control or standards and has minimum professionalism or competence…public transport, mobile phone service, administration, hospitals, immigration, you name it…I had it all. NZ is beautiful but things simply do not work. Be careful and and maintain some healthy common sense ’cause you cannot expect it vice versa.”

NZ Safety Expatexposed.com

NZ Safety

A”nother dent in NZ’s undeserved international reputation! The word is getting out that New Zealand is a bit lax in the H&S area!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/n…objectid=10804653

http://www.facebook.com/nzsafety“

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Blogs tagged ‘Adventure Tourism deaths‘ and these posts:

Fox Glacier Aviation Disaster “New Zealand Unsafe” (May 2012)

Excitor III and Mac Attack Companies Fined for Broken Backs (May 2012)

Harness Failure Leaves Woman Dangling At Nevis Bungy Swing (May 2012)

Carterton Ballooning Tragedy, Urgent Checks Follow Air Worthiness Concerns (Feb 2012)

Emily Jordan: Riverboarding Death By Misadventure. Tell Clients The Truth About The Risks. Staff Panicked (May 2011)

Sarah Bond Quad Bike Death – Prosecution Brought (August 2009)
Thrillseekers Adventure Ltd Fined For Bungy Fall(May 2011)

Tom Donaldson Inquest – Coroners Says ‘Warn Tourists’ (Nov 2010)

Wellington Reverse Bungy Closed Amid Safety Fears (Dec 2010)

Tourists Seriously Injured In Bay Of Islands Boat Incidents (April 2011)

Catherine Peters: Alistair McWhannell Guilty Of Manslaughter In Swing Bridge Death (June 2010)

Fox Glacier Plane Crash, Nine Dead Including Four Tourists (Sept 2010)

Tourists Injured in Queenstown Jet Boat Crash, Another Died Swimming With Dolphins (Nov 2010)

Australian Tourist Seriously Injured By Dophin Boat (Dec 2010)

Tourists seriously injured in collision between Outward Bound cutter and a Dolphin Watch Ecotours (Feb 2011)

Six students and teacher drown in outward bound activity (May 2009)

Fox Glacier Aviation Disaster “New Zealand Unsafe” – Updated

Considering a holiday to New Zealand. Watch this video first and then visit this Facebook Page  facebook.com/nzsafety

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You may be forgiven for not remembering the tragic loss of life when a sky diving plane crashed on the day of the Christchurch earthquake, it probably got pushed out of the news where you are. Nine people died when an overloaded, converted crop dusting plane lost control over the Fox Glacier. For background read our blog Fox Glacier Plane Crash, Nine Dead Including Four Tourists (Sept 2010).

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission report into the disaster was released today watch Extended video: TAIC on plane crash and it wasn’t good news – not for the Civil Aviation Authority, nor Skydive NZ and certainly not for the people employed by them who were allegedly under the influence of drugs. The entire Adventure Tourism industry in New Zealand will be sucking in its breath over this.

Update: Hours later we learned that the pilot involved in the Carterton Ballooning tragedy in which 11 people died was also found to have cannabis in his system.

In a statement to the BBC, Prime Minister John Key said approximately 50 people had been killed in adventure tourism sector in the last 8 years.

From The NZ Herald

The report revealed the plane had been converted from a crop-duster to a skydiving plane only three months earlier by engineering company Super Air Limited.

It said the modification was “poorly managed” and the Civil Aviation Authority failed to detect discrepancies in documentation about the work.

Furthermore, the company operating the plane, Skydive NZ, had not completed weight and balance calculations before it entered service, meaning the plane was flown outside its loading limits every time it carried a full eight passengers.

The report also confirmed at least two of the skydive-masters had been taking controlled drugs and one had taken cannabis shortly before the flight. It called on the Government to introduce a rigorous drug and alcohol testing regime…

Now the Herald is running a story about the British father of one of the victims and his campaign to draw attention to New Zealand’s unsafe Adventure Tourism Industry, in the hope that he may shame the country into getting its act together:

The family of a British tourist killed when a skydiving plane crashed at Fox Glacier has launched an internet campaign claiming New Zealand is unsafe.

Chris Coker, whose 24-year-old son Bradley was one of nine people killed in New Zealand’s worst air disaster for 17 years, said his son’s death was “completely avoidable” and showed a lack of proper regulation and control…

And continuing in a course of action that is remarkably similar to that of Chris Jordan, father of another British tourist Emily Jordan whose death prompted a paper-pushing review and weak regulation of New Zealand’s adventure tourism industry…

“Mr Coker has written an emotional letter to Prime Minister John Keybegging for a review of aviation regulations, and launched a YouTube video and Facebook campaign critical of New Zealand safety standards.

Mr Coker told the Prime Minister that public and tourists in New Zealand were “not safe” and there was an overwhelming case for change in the way adventure sports are regulated.

Until action was taken, there was compelling evidence that young people should “think twice” before pursuing adventure activities in New Zealand…”

We say, don’t think twice. Don’t participate in Adventure sport activities in New Zealand. The deaths that make it into the news are just the tip of the iceberg.

Think of going somewhere where the safety standards are first world and better regulated. If you’re paying first world money for your experience,  demand a world class experience for your dollar. These activities aren’t cheap.

Go somewhere where adventure tourism operators have a real appreciation of the hazards, are less likely to be under the effects of illicit drugs and where the accident stats are a lot better.

Go somewhere that does not have the no blame ACC accident compensation culture that has evolved in New Zealand.

“Elizabeth Coker, Bradley’s sister and a UK lawyer, added that it was “natural” to expect safety and legal standards in Commonwealth countries to match those of the UK and this was not the case.

“You cannot sue for negligence in New Zealand and there is no criminal offence of corporate manslaughter,” she wrote. “In our view, this has had the effect of lowering safety standards in New Zealand.

“There is no ultimate sanction, either financial or criminal, on companies who ignore their duty to protect the public.

“This accident report backs our view that the legal system in New Zealand is weighted entirely against victims of accidents, and indeed the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office website warns UK citizens of this in giving startling advice about travelling to New Zealand.” (all quotes from the NZHerald)

You may also be interested in

 Blogs tagged ‘Adventure Tourism deaths‘ and these posts:

Harness Failure Leaves Woman Dangling At Nevis Bungy Swing (May 2012)

Carterton Ballooning Tragedy, Urgent Checks Follow Air Worthiness Concerns (Feb 2012)

Thrillseekers Adventure Ltd Fined For Bungy Fall (May 2011)

Tom Donaldson Inquest – Coroners Says ‘Warn Tourists’ (Nov 2010)

Wellington Reverse Bungy Closed Amid Safety Fears (Dec 2010)

Tourists Seriously Injured In Bay Of Islands Boat Incidents (April 2011)

Alistair McWhannell Guilty Of Manslaughter In Swing Bridge Death (June 2010)

Fox Glacier Plane Crash, Nine Dead Including Four Tourists (Sept 2010)

Tourists Injured in Queenstown Jet Boat Crash, Another Died Swimming With Dolphins (Nov 2010)

Australian Tourist Seriously Injured By Dophin Boat (Dec 2010)

Tourists seriously injured in collision between Outward Bound cutter and a Dolphin Watch Ecotours (Feb 2011)

British Newspaper Runs Dotcom Rap Video Lampooning Key and Banks

British newspaper The Guardian has run a story about Kim Dotcom‘s rap lampooning John Banks over the donations scandal.

The Megaupload founder collaborated with top music producers to question MP’s denials about political contributions. Coming to a club near you soon, the rap is sure to be a hit.

Remember the teapottapes saga and the way in which the offending cameraman was treated after he accidentally recorded a conversation between these two politicians, NZ has no favourites when it comes to covering its political behind.

The Guardian writes

“…Banks, a minister outside cabinet, provides an important prop to the government led by Key’s National party, which maintains a slim parliamentary majority.

Playful but barbed, the song, called Amnesia, lampoons Banks’s numerous claims not to recall incidents, including being flown by helicopter to Dotcom’s $30m mansion. It includes a reference to Banks’s puzzling repeated insistence in media interviews that he “did not come up the river in a cabbage boat”.

The lyrics run: “Nothing to fear / Nothing to hide / He’s the majority / So he’s all right. / He is John Banks / He got the vote / And that’s why Key keeps him afloat / On his cabbage boat.”

Banks has been embroiled in a scandal over donations to his campaign for the Auckland mayoralty in 2010 since Dotcom’s revelations just over a week ago.

The mayoralty bid was unsuccessful but he was subsequently elected to parliament as an MP, in large part thanks to an endorsement from the governing National party.

Dotcom alleges that Banks asked him to make anonymous donations into his mayoralty campaign and subsequently called him to thank him for the deposit of NZ$50,000 (£25,000). Failure to specify significant donors is a breach of New Zealand electoral laws.

Banks denies making such a call and insists he has complied with the relevant laws.

The donations are the subject of a police inquiry and detectives are expected to visit Kim Dotcom this week at his mansion north of Auckland to interview him on the matter…”

“Banana Boat” That is not a great image for a country trying to entice billionaire internet wizkids to invest in New Zealand’s knowledge infrastructure.

But then, New Zealand is an agrarian economy in the middle of the Pacific – should we be surprised that it  doesn’t have the ability to look past the money?

For more of our blogs tagged Kim Dotcom click here

Excitor III and Mac Attack Companies Fined For Broken Backs

The Hole in the Rock. Take care on boat trips in NZ

Planning an adventure tourism holiday to New Zealand?

 We say give it a miss and find somewhere where the industry is better regulated and has a lower accident rate.

When you participate in an adventure tourism activity wouldn’t you prefer to know that the people taking your money will take all practicable steps to ensure your safety?

InterCity Group,, the company behind the Excitor III fast boat rides in Northland, has been instructed to pay a total of $270,000 to three passengers whose spines were fractured during separate rides last year:

Petulia Patey says her life has changed forever since she broke her back during a holiday jetboat trip in the Bay of Islands last year.

InterCity Group was today ordered to pay $270,000 – including $60,000 to Mrs Patey – after three women broke their backs in two separate incidents in January and March.

The company earlier pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to take all practical steps to ensure their employees’ actions did not harm anyone.

Mrs Patey and her best friend Amanda Lee suffered compression fractures to their vertebrae when the boat, the Excitor III, hit two big waves, causing the women to become airborne and slam into the seat.

The second charge relates to an incident two months later that left Brisbane health worker Jan Phillips with broken vertebrae… more here

For more about this story read our blog from April 2011: Tourists Injured In Bay Of Islands Boat Incidents – Updated

Also in court today was Seafort Holdings Ltd who was ordered to pay $90,000 to Catherine Cooke, 53, who was left a paraplegic after a rough trip on the Mack Attack pleasure boat in the Bay of Islands. The company was also fined 30,000:

“…Richard John Prentice of Seafort Holdings had pleaded guilty two charges two charges of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure that no action or inaction of any employee while at work harmed any other person and failing to notify the director of Maritime New Zealand of the occurrence of serious harm as soon as possible after the occurrence became known…” more here

Just days ago a young Australian woman Tarla Carpenter’s,  swing harness failed at the Nevis Bungy.

A terrified Tarla was hanging by her armpits above the Nevis Canyon

Other boating ‘accidents’ involving tourists in New Zealand

63 year old Canadian tourist Richard Evans was killed in a jet boat crash in Tauranga Harbour in February 2011.

The same month there was a boating collision in the Marlborough Sounds at the top of the South Island. An Outward Bound cutter and a Dolphin Watch Ecotours boat  came into contact, leaving one  woman seriously injured and seven  others requiring treatment for minor to moderate injuries.

n December an Australian doctor, 49  year old Catherine Carlyle from  Adelaide, was flown to hospital with severe lacerations after coming into contact with a boat propeller in Ruakaka Bay, Marlborough Sounds.

Ms Carlyle hit the the boat’s prop as she jumped off the  back of the Dolphin Watch Ecotours vessel, sustaining deep lacerations to her legs and a possible fracture.

Before that young American tourist Emily May Parker, from Denver Colorado, was found face down in Marlborough Sound whilst on a tour with Dolphin Ecowatch Tours in October 2009.

In November 2010 five  people were taken to hospital when their Shotover Jet boat collided  with a cliff wall near Queenstown, among them were  tourists from Germany, the United States and Britain.

In September 2008, Chinese tourist Yan Wang, 42, was killed when a  jetboat operated by Kawarau Jets flipped over in the Shotover River.

Since 1995 the NZ Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has investigated at least  20 occurrences involving jet boats.

Three involved high-speed rollovers: one each in 1997, 1998  and 2008.

The  Commission made safety recommendations covering the fitment of rollover bars on jet boats operating on braided river systems and the need for accurate recording of passenger numbers on boats to assist emergency services. These three rollover accidents resulted in one fatality, five serious injuries and three minor injuries.

After series of fatal ‘accidents’ (mostly involving tourists) there was a wide ranging review of adventure tourism in New Zealand found gaps in  safety. Following the review recommendations were made to introduce a  registration scheme (not licensing) and mandatory safety auditing and regulations were recently introduced that will require operators to be registered and to undertake regular certificated safety audits.

Unfortunately the new regs didn’t take effect until October 2011 after which there will be a  three year long period of grace before all businesses will be required to comply. More tragically, the ‘accidents’ keep on happening.

How many more will be injured or killed before all adventure operators and the regulation authorities get their act together?

 

Caught by her armpits above the Nevis Canyon

You may also find interesting

NZ Adventure firms ‘run by seat of pants’, say critics

Safety Gaps Found In Adventure Tourism Review

Adventure Tourism and Safety in NZ – Facts and Stats

Harness Failure Leaves Woman Dangling At Nevis Bungy Swing

Tarla Carpenter hanging by her armpits on the bungy swing

An Australian tourist, Tarla Carpenter was left hanging above a chasm after a serious harness failure left her dangling by her armpits at the Nevis Bungy Swing in the Nevis Canyon, Queenstown.

The swing is 160 metres above the canyon floor and riders move at speeds of up to 150kph in a 300 metre arc.

The tourist attraction, run by AJ Hackett, offers thrill seekers a death defying leap over a mind numbing drop. Tarla Carpenter and her boyfriend Matthew Pararta were on vacation in New Zealand when the couple opted for a ride on the bungee swing.

A restraining strap with an empty carabiner, could be seen dangling behind her. It is hard to tell what exactly happened but in the above picture it looks like the webbing seat she was sat on either detached, or slid up her back.

“I think she’s gunna fall!“

The ride started well with Tarla and her partner both seemingly strapped into their harnesses in a seated position. However, after leaving the platform Tarla  suddenly slipped through her hardness and the couple swung out over the chasm. She was just inches away from falling 500 feet to the rocky bottom.

“Everything that was around my legs became around my underarms” a traumatised Tarla told reporters from Australian TV show A Current Affair “and it felt just like I’d slipped through like a net almost, and then caught me under my arms”

“Get us up!” shouted Matthew “I think she’s gunna fall!” and by the time the couple came back into sight of the platform she was “barely hanging on. It was a near catastrophic malfunction of her safety equipment” according to the Current Affair reporter.

“I just pretty much hung on for dear life and just gripped on to whatever was in front of me” said a visibly upset Tarla, who has been left with “horror holiday memories”

Tarla said it was a miracle she didn’t fall to the ground and her shocking experience has turned her off bungy jumping forever.

We think Tarla was incredibly lucky to have survived her ordeal and our best wishes go out to her.

Unfortunately, as our regular readers will know, there have been a high number of near misses and fatal accidents in New Zealand’s adventure sports industry, ‘accidents’ that have continued to occur despite new registration requirements.

The new regs, made under the Health and Safety in Employment Act, only came into effect until October 2011 – three and a half years after the drowning  death of British tourist Emily Jordan sparked a review of the adventure tourism industry within NZ.

Incredibly there will a a further delay of  three years until all 1,5000 adventure tourism businesses must be registered and in possession of a safety audit certificate in New Zealand. How many people will be traumatised, maimed or killed in that time?

We’re very disappointed to see something like this has happened and it makes us question how many other near misses there have been. This one only seems to have come to light because an TV show got hold of the footage. (read Australian Tourist Injured In Bungy Accident, Another Has Collapsed Lung May 2010, to see how wrong things can get)

For background read this article in the Sydney Morning Herald - “Adventure tourism a deadly business” August 24 2010:

“NZPA

Adventure tourists are killing themselves for a good time in New Zealand.  So much so that the government is looking at tougher measures to improve safety in the industry.

During five years (July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2009) 39 people died in NZ in what are recorded as workplace activities. But the actual number is likely to be much higher as recreational deaths were not included…” read full article here

There have been several bungy related ‘accidents’ in New Zealand (partial source NZH):

In May 2010 Australian tourist, Kristy Moulder, slipped out of her bungy harness and was seriously injured in the rocky Waiau River.

In 2009 New Zealand university student Catherine Peters died after she fell fell 20 metres from the Ballance Bridge swing in the Manawatu Gorge. Alistair McWhannell was later found guilty of manslaughter. The court was told that bridge swing was dangerous in that “the  rope was allegedly too long and not tied off properly.” At the time of her death there were no required safety standards for  bridge swinging in New  Zealand:

In May 2003, Rotorua woman Jamie Shaw, 19, suffered severe bruising  after falling more than 8m into a stream after her foot slipped from the  bindings during a tandem bungy in Rotorua.

In September 2000, a Taiwanese tourist, 29, received head injuries after  slipping from a harness and falling 25-30m into the Waikato River.

And in 1997, Canadian Nancy Todd, 20, plunged into the Shotover River  near Queenstown after part of her bungy detached as she rebounded from a  jump in Skippers Canyon.

You may also be interested in our blogs tagged Adventure Tourism deaths and these posts:

Carterton Ballooning Tragedy, Urgent Checks Follow Air Worthiness Concerns (Feb 2012)

Thrillseekers Adventure Ltd Fined For Bungy Fall (May 2011)

Tom Donaldson Inquest – Coroners Says ‘Warn Tourists’ (Nov 2010)

Wellington Reverse Bungy Closed Amid Safety Fears (Dec 2010)

Tourists Seriously Injured In Bay Of Islands Boat Incidents (April 2011)

Alistair McWhannell Guilty Of Manslaughter In Swing Bridge Death (June 2010)

Fox Glacier Plane Crash, Nine Dead Including Four Tourists (Sept 2010)

Tourists Injured in Queenstown Jet Boat Crash, Another Died Swimming With Dolphins (Nov 2010)

Australian Tourist Seriously Injured By Dophin Boat (Dec 2010)

Tourists seriously injured in collision between Outward Bound cutter and a Dolphin Watch Ecotours (Feb 2011)