Jim Stabback: Auckland Council CEO defends leaving council headquarters during peak of Auckland flood response - Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Auckland Council's boss has defended going home the night the city flooded on Anniversary Weekend.

Jim Stabback and the Director of Governance have apologised, after the release of a damning report on the flood response.

Shortly after 5pm that day, Fire and Emergency put out a statement revealing every single crew had been called out.

Stabback had left the office 15 minutes earlier- and didn't go back.

He says it's easy to look back with hindsight.

"This is not an excuse by any means, but I only had information at the time that allowed me to make a decision that I knew at the time. And secondly, none of us knew what was about to unfold."

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