Family members of those killed in the CTV building tragedy during the 2011 Christchurch earthquake are appalled no one will be held to account.
The collapse killed 115 people, but police say insufficient evidence has prevented any prosecutions from going ahead. Police revealed they had considered charging engineers Alan Reay and David Harding with negligent manslaughter.
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Head building engineer Mr Raey said in a statement he has been trying to work out just what happened ever since the building pancaked and crushed those inside.
Christine Jackson, whose daughter Susan Selway was killed, says she finds that hard to believe.
"It was his building, he got it pushed through the council, and we all know about the fellow who was pushed into signing it by his boss, who was a friend of Alan Raey's," she said.
Massey University law professor Chris Gallavin told The AM Show on Friday morning that while he thinks the legal opinion on the matter is sound, the decision would've been touch-and-go.
"Police were almost apologetic - very open and very candid - and I think that's something we can take from this as a real positive," he said.
"I do think the police are treating this with some sensitivity."
Prof Gallavin believes despite the police announcement, there's still potential for another prosecution.
"There's a possibility of a charge very similar to a nuisance charge," he said.
"[It's] much more minor than manslaughter, but I think that would be worth pursuing by police and they may still very well lay a charge under that provision."
Engineering New Zealand, the body that represents and regulates the profession, says its focus is now on "raising the bar" in regard to standards.
Chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene says they attempted to carry out a probe into the incident, but Mr Raey left the company before they were able to complete it.
"Alan Raey resigned during the complaints process, so we no longer had jurisdiction over him as a member, and stopped the investigation," she explained.
"What we've done is changed the rules, so a member can't resign during a complaint."
Newshub.
