The chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said to expect more resignations as the agency grapples with its botched handling of the Warrant of Fitness (WoF) scheme.
Over 20,000 cars have been found in need of re-warranting.
Michael Stiassny, the chair of the NZTA, admitted there were major problems with the WoF system but he said most mechanics were doing a good job.
"I wouldn't be napalming everybody," he said. "I'd say we are going to regulate and you are going to come back into line."
He delivered a blunt assessment of what led to the failings.
"Since almost the inception of the agency, we have had what some may call a very laissez faire approach to regulation."
- NZTA failed to meet regulatory responsibilities
- NZTA head resigns amid review into dodgy warrants of fitness
- WoFs are 'stupid', claims Dargaville mechanic who had WoF licence revoked
A review was launched two months ago amid growing alarm over the NZTA's monitoring of operators who issue WoFs and other certificates.
NZTA chief executive Fergus Gammie resigned earlier this week, and Mr Stiassny expected more departures.
"Accountability should not stop with Mr Gammie - that would be unfair, in my opinion," he said.
A new chief executive will be appointed next year, and Mr Stiassny is confident that problems with the WoF system are fixable.
The Ministry of Transport has also launched an independent review into the NZTA's failings.
CEO Peter Mersi told MPs he knew compliance cases had been flagged earlier this year, but claimed it's not the Ministry's responsibility to look into individual cases.
Both the Ministry of Transport and NZTA reviews will be released in the first half of next year.
Mr Stiassny is optimistic about the future. He said the problems were "easily fixable" and came down to three things - "what do we look at, what do we control and what do we review to ensure people adhere to what they promise to deliver to us?"
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