Flowers at a memorial set up at the landslide cordon at Mount Maunganui. Photo / Corey Fleming

The external review provided the strongest assurance, transparency and independence.

The downsides included higher costs and the potential for the process to take longer due to the need to use external reviewers.

It also noted risks around potentially overlapping with the Coroner, WorkSafe and potential Crown-led reviews.

Other inquiries

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said last week he believed there was a strong case for an independent government inquiry.

“Establishing the facts is not only what the families of those who lost their lives deserve, it’s also important in helping us ensure lessons are learned to prevent similar tragedies occurring elsewhere in the future.”

He told media there were concerns a council-led inquiry would not be impartial given “potentially an inherent conflict between the ownership of the campground and the council”.

The recovery operation at the slip site on Adams Ave wrapped up over the weekend, with the six victims recovered and identified.

They were Pakūranga College students Max Furse-Kee and Sharon Maccanico, both 15; Rotorua friends Susan Doreen Knowles and Jacqualine Wheeler, both 71; Swedish tourist Måns Loke Bernhardsson, 20; and Morrinsville educator Lisa Anne Maclennan, 50.

The six people killed in the Mauao landslide were (clockwise from top left) Pakuranga College student couple Sharon Maccanico and Max Furse-Kee, both 15; Rotorua property manager Susan Doreen Knowles, 71; Morrinsville educator Lisa Anne Maclennan, 50; Swedish tourist Måns Loke Bernhardsson, 20; and Rotorua interior design store co-founder Jacqualine Wheeler, 71.

Bay of Plenty Police district commander, Superintendent Tim Anderson, said on Sunday the scene was expected to be formally handed over to Tauranga City Council in the coming days.

He said police would support any subsequent Coronial inquest into the tragedy, and WorkSafe was continuing to scope its involvement in the next phase of the response.

Police signed an operational protocol for information-sharing with WorkSafe to avoid duplication of efforts and to facilitate the next stage of inquiries.

“Police will be formally speaking to witnesses and gathering as much information that we can to assist WorkSafe,” Anderson said.

“A number of police staff from around the country will be assisting with this next phase of work.”

WorkSafe’s role was to look into the organisations with a duty of care for people at the holiday park, and whether they were meeting their work health and safety responsibilities.

Drysdale told RNZ the council would start opening up the area around Mount Maunganui when it was safe.

He hoped streets could be reopened within days but said it could be months before Mauao itself reopened.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.