An engineer in Tauranga has been struck off the Chartered Professional Engineers register for poor-quality work, including calculation errors and shoddy designs.
It follows a several-year process, which began when the Tauranga City Council laid a complaint against engineer Bruce Cameron, relating to residential property developments in the area between 2015 and 2016.
A statement from Engineering New Zealand on Tuesday revealed a disciplinary committee in 2019 ordered Cameron to be struck off with reinstatement option for two years but was only published now due to subsequent appeals the engineer made Chartered Professional Engineers Council and the District Court.
Cameron's appeal to the Chartered Professional Engineers Council was dismissed in 2019, and his District Court appeal was withdrawn last month.
Engineering New Zealand said Cameron's services didn't meet professional standards.
"Most of the services Mr Cameron provided were to do with residential retaining walls, foundation designs and construction monitoring.
"We find that Mr Cameron has not acted as a reasonable chartered professional engineer and breached his professional obligations to act competently and behave appropriately.
"While some examples may seem relatively minor, others are much more concerning. Taken together, they demonstrate an overwhelming lack of rigour and attention to [a] quality practice that is of significant concern to us."
The Tauranga City complained that:
- Cameron provided engineering services that did not meet a reasonable standard, including applying incorrect design assumptions, failing to apply relevant standards, and submitting standard drawings that were inappropriate for the specific site
- misrepresented work as being his own when it had been carried out by another party
- did not act with honesty, objectivity and integrity
- behaved unprofessionally.
In its submission to the Engineering New Zealand Disciplinary Committee, Tauranga City Council suggested Cameron be removed from the register for 15 years.
But in his own submissions, Cameron said he shouldn't be suspended and be penalised by fine only.
"We do not consider that removal from the register for 15 years to be a reasonable response," the disciplinary committee decision said. "We also do not consider suspension or a fine only to be reasonable.
"With the seriousness and extent of Mr Cameron's actions, the possibility of de-registration is clearly within range here."
Cameron is now allowed to re-apply for registration, as the two-year period has lapsed. He was also ordered to pay $19,000 towards investigation costs.
