WOFs being issued without inspection
The NZTA has suspended vehicle inspector Yaea Wongchiu and his Auckland-based inspecting organisation Gee J Auto Services & Tyres, which is now closed.
The agency’s investigation into Gee J Auto Services & Tyres began after it was tipped off by Police officers who had pulled over a modified car in Porirua and noted that it had received a warrant of fitness in Auckland just two hours earlier.
A detailed investigation by the NZTA found evidence of warrants being issued to vehicles without inspection.
"Compliance action is underway against the vehicle inspector and inspecting organisation," said the NZTA in a statement. "If further investigation finds criminal activity, we will refer it to Police or other government agencies as appropriate."
The agency will also be contacting around 320 vehicle owners with a current warrant from Gee J Auto Services & Tyres to let them know that their vehicle may have been incorrectly passed and advise them to get their car re-warranted.
Timeline of events
- Late August: Dargaville Diesel Specialists suspended – 1,956 vehicle owners urged to get WOFs rechecked.
- Late September: NZTA hires law firm Meredith Connell to review its open-compliance files and regulatory function.
- October: Orient Motors – 3,494 affected owners.
- October: Te Aroha Automotive – 613 affected vehicle owners.
- November 23: Westland Mechanical and Tyre – 3,721 affected vehicle owners.
- November 30: Auckland’s Jet Tyres and Wheel Alignment – 993 affected vehicle owners.
- November 30: Onehunga’s Church Street Motors and Tyres – 4,053 affected vehicle owners.
- December 4: El’s Auto Services in East Tamaki – 3,783 affected vehicle owners.
- December 5: Super Cheap Tyres and Auto Services in St Johns – 2,443 affected vehicle owners.
- December 10: NZTA chief executive Fergus Gammie announces his resignation.
- December 14: Stephen Upson and Sunnybrae Auto Services - 747 affected vehicle owners.
- December 20: Sayad Hussein and Frankton WoF and Tyre Station - 2,836 affected vehicle owners.
- December 21: Patrick Chu of Transport & Structure Ltd – numbers of potentially impacted vehicles yet to be confirmed.
- December 21: NZTA appoints former Chorus CEO Mark Ratcliffe as interim chief executive until a permanent replacement is found.
- December 21: Consulting firm Martin Jenkins hired to provide support for the Ministry of Transport’s review into the NZTA’s regulatory function.
- January 25, 2019: NZTA extends expiry date of all unused vouchers
- February 4, 2019: Manufacturers call on the NZTA to pay for customers’ towbar re-certifications.
- February 7, 2019: NZTA announces it will cover costs for towbar recertifications.
- February 12, 2019: NZTA welcomes findings of an independent report on regulatory compliance.
- February 13, 2019: Donald Steward McLean and The WOF Man Ltd. - 3,515 affected vehicle owners.
- February 18, 2019: Michael Cox and Auto Super Shoppe Hamilton Central and Hamilton Automotive Repairs Ltd - 1,140 affected vehicle owners.
- March 22, 2019: Rajesh Singh and Gravity Services Ltd - 5,740 affected vehicle owners.
- April 8, 2019: Patrick Chu of Transport and Structure Ltd - 300 affected drawbars and draw beams on heavy vehicles and trailers.
- April 12, 2019: Mohammed Hussein and Autozone Services Ltd - 1,607 affected vehicle owners.
- April 12, 2019: Graeme Jordan, Peter Flannery and Michael Urquhart and Peninsula Motors - 1,170 affected vehicle owners.
- April 16, 2019: Sun-Jin Kim and World Motors - 1,556 affected vehicle owners.
- May 3, 2019: David Gundry and A-1 Auto Spares and Repairs - 932 affected vehicle owners.
- May 3, 2019: Nassir Habib, Litesh Gounder and their respective inspecting organisations - Carbine Automotives and Manurewa Auto and Tyre Centre - 2,607 affected vehicle owners.
- May 8, 2019: Wei Shi Du and his Mount Eden-based inspecting organisation Cityside Automotive Limited - 2,200 affected vehicle owners.
- May 17, 2019: Chris Luo and his Mount Roskill-based inspecting organisation Auto Link - 3,100 affected vehicle owners.
- June 4, 2019: Hamza Hamza and his Auckland-based inspecting organisation Super Cheap Tyres and Auto Services (2016) - 297 affected vehicle owners.
- June 7, 2019: Paul Murray and his Christchurch-based inspecting organisation Walker Brothers 2016 Ltd - 2,150 affected vehicle owners.
- June 12, 2019: Antony Homan and his Lawrence-based inspecting organisation Win Engineering and Mechanical Services Limited - 460 affected vehicle owners.
- June 25, 2019: David Watt and his Hamilton-based inspecting organisation David Watt Auto Services - 1,700 affected vehicle owners.
- June 28, 2019: Brad Harrison and his inspecting organisation Kerikeri Autohaus Ltd - 520 affected vehicle owners.
- June 28, 2019: Yaea Wongchiu and his Auckland-based inspecting organisation Gee J Auto Services & Tyres - 320 affected vehicle owners.
