Man charged after Auckland Council hunting contractor critically injured in Kawau Island shooting
Auckland Council has suspended a pest eradication hunting program on Kawau Island after a contractor was critically injured in a shooting incident. A 44-year-old man has been charged with careless use of a firearm as police and safety authorities investigate.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the risks associated with professional pest control operations and the immediate regulatory response required following workplace accidents.
Auckland Council is suspending hunting operations for its Kawau Island pest eradication programme after a contractor was shot overnight.
One helicopter was sent to the Hauraki Gulf island and a person was airlifted to Auckland City Hospital in a critical condition, Hato Hone St John said.
Acting Detective Inspector Megan Goldie of Waitematā CIB said emergency services were notified of an injured person on the island at 12.50am on Thursday, with reports indicating that a firearm had been discharged in bushland near Schoolhouse Bay Rd.
Auckland Council partnered with the Department of Conservation to run a targeted hunting operation on parts of Kawau Island from August 16 to 23, using suppressed firearms and thermal imaging drones in collaboration with residents to hunt wallabies and other major pests.
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