A body corporate has been described as "belligerent" after being accused of pushing back against Auckland emergency officials over the cyclone-related evacuation of several Mt Eden apartment blocks.
But one of the companies accused says it was simply "pushing for communication" and advocating for its residents after Cyclone Gabrielle had passed Auckland.
Last Monday, people housed in buildings around the Colonial Ammunition Company Shot Tower were evacuated before the cyclone's arrival over fears that it could collapse.
The tower, which is 109 years old and 30m high, was analysed by engineers who determined strong winds could bring it down.
It is listed as a historic place category 1 by Heritage New Zealand and is the only 20th-century shot tower in all of Australasia.
Demolition of the tower will begin tomorrow after approval was granted, but residents have been told to stay out of their apartments in the meantime.
Contractors are expected to take seven days to demolish the tower.
Auckland Council's director of regulatory services Craig Hobbs told media that two "body corporate managers" had been "working against us at every step of the way".
"I am not going to be so complimentary about the body corporate managers of the other two apartment blocks from Crockers and About Body Corporates," he said.
"They've done their residents no favours by working against us at every step of the way while we try to address this issue... with no consideration to the plight of others around Auckland who we've also been trying to support."
Residents were allowed into their homes for 40 minutes on Saturday to throw out perishable items and to grab anything else they needed.
In the media stand-up, Hobbs thanked the manager of another bodycorp in the same area who was managing the nearby Miro Apartments.
Speaking later to 1News, the council official was upset at the companies he had mentioned and accused them of being "selfishly focused" and "belligerent" towards emergency management.
Hobbs said that the body corporate had been pushing for apartment residents to return sooner than officials were willing to allow — including lobbying local MPs to assist.
"The sense of entitlement is phenomenal," he said. "I'd make the point that in seven days, we have found a way forward — a really short window."
He said Auckland Council was working as hard as it could along with central government to make the area safe for residents to move back in.
"I'm not going to make any apologies. It's fortunate that the tower didn't collapse and nobody was injured".
Due to the tower's heritage listing, approval was required from Building Minister Megan Woods for demolition.
Body corporate response
About Body Corporates director Sharron O'Sullivan told 1News that residents were "entitled… at the very least to expect a better communication strategy".
"We have simply pushed for communication," she said. "We asked them to work with us. We asked that they apply process incorporating practicality and asked for a connection with the human aspect of the situation. At no time have we worked against them."
"I acknowledge that council staff are stretched thin, but this has to be… one of the largest… displacements in Auckland, and the residents are entitled to expect a better response.
"The residents — some with young families and many forced to seek refuge at evacuation centres without any alternative — have a right to know, and they should not be kept in the dark.
"Limited resources doesn't excuse making such a drastic call and then not giving attention to this site. Where people were literally homeless."
Speaking to 1News, Hobbs said that the council's communications hadn't been "perfect" but that officials were doing the best they could given the circumstances.
"People need to be realistic in the circumstances. Council has limited resources, but we're working as hard as we possibly can be," the council official said.
He said many Aucklanders in places like the west coast had lost their homes and that he felt the "sense of entitlement is phenomenal" from the body corporates.
"In the past three weeks, people have lost houses, and they'll take years to recover."
Meanwhile, Crockers chief executive Helen O'Sullivan said in a statement that it was "a huge surprise" to be mentioned in the council's comments.
"To clarify, Crockers manages a number of units in Normanby Mews, while About Body Corporate is the body corporate secretary," she said.
"Crockers has no formal role with the body corporate. As a property manager, we've been receiving information from the body corporate and passing it on to tenants.
She said a staff member was an officer of the body corporate committee "in their own personal capacity."
"We'd appreciate it if the council clarified the comments to ensure there was no confusion in this matter."
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