A Fire and Emergency NZ manager says he warned that Elton John concertgoers were “driving into disaster” as the Auckland Anniversary gig continued to go ahead despite flooding already under way. 

Four men died in the Auckland flooding event: Daniel Miller, Daniel Newth, David Lennard and David Young. Two firefighters also died in Muriwai during Cyclone Gabrielle. 

Speaking at a coronial inquest into the deadly 2023 storms yesterday, Brad Mosby revealed what he shared in a meeting with Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) as rain and flooding worsened. 

‘They’re driving into disaster’ 

Mosby, the Fire and Emergency NZ district manager for Counties Manukau at the time, said he expressed the need for a state of emergency to be declared. 

Evacuations were part of Auckland-wide Anniversary Weekend flood response action amidst record rainfall, but Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo says the district would cope well if a similar storm hit. 

“We’ve got this significant event going on in Auckland - 30,000 people coming into Auckland,” he recounted saying at the time. 

“They’re driving into disaster and we need to stop that from happening.” 

But Mosby said there was a “real reluctance” for that to be done then. 

“I’m not quite sure how far between my message to the council at that time to when it was actually called off...” 

Thousands of Elton John concertgoers would later be evacuated from Mt Smart Stadium after organisers officially announced its cancellation just after 7pm. 

Dissappointed fans stream from Mt Smart Stadium as Elton John's concert is cancelled amid heavy downpours in the city. Photo / Alanah Eriksen 

Then-Mayor Wayne Brown would declare a state of emergency in Auckland just before 9.30pm - but this would not be made public until 10.22pm. 

Coroner Erin Woolley, who is holding the hearings, asked Mosby directly about his views and about the language he used in those internal meetings. 

“I believe I gave enough emphasis to give them something to think about because once I had spoken about it, there was a moment of silence in the room. 

“The only other thing I could’ve said was: ‘Fire and Emergency New Zealand want you to declare a state of emergency’...” 

Mosby said he also expressed to AEM that there was a strong need for evacuation/emergency centres to be set up. 

At that point, he said, none had been and people affected by flooding were being put up at local police and fire stations. 

One of the most surreal moments of the Auckland Anniversary floods was when Auckland Airport’s terminals were flooded. Before and after photos show the difference. 

He said after the first internal meeting with emergency services, there was hope a state of emergency would be announced before the next due to: “A, the evacuation centres, B, the Elton John concert, the request for a more coordinated approach to running the event, getting really good comms out to our communities. 

“We thought that that potentially would’ve been enough for Auckland Emergency Management to make that decision, but at the end of the day, it’s their decision to make.” 

The inquest continues this week. Family members of those who died are also due to give evidence at a later date.