Whangarei council liable for punitive $4.3m damages

James Daisley's lawyer Jim Farmer said the case was about more than money. (Image: File)

Thu, 23 Jun 2022

A wrongly filed resource consent has led to the Whangarei district council being liable for at least $4.3 million for economic damages and costs to a landowner, the high court in Whangarei has ruled.The June 10 ruling from Justice Christopher Toogood included a $50,000 award for exemplary damages for the council’s misfeasance in public office [failure to discharge its obligations] over landowner Malcolm James Daisley’s attempts to run a commercial quarry on his land. The council tried to stop work at the quarry after he bought...

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