Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has spent another day avoiding questions on the back of a scathing probe into Auckland Council's response to January's deadly flooding.
The Council's chief executive Jim Stabback wouldn't front either, instead, the deputy mayor and fed-up west Auckland homeowners were left to fill the void.
Dozens of Lyall Carter's neighbours have abandoned one part of Ranui.
Carter's stayed in the west Auckland suburb, living alongside properties that ended up two metres underwater during January's deadly flood. It was a disastrous day not helped by a woefully underprepared Auckland Council.
"There was nothing. We didn't have any communication from local government as the flood waters were pouring in," Carter told Newshub.
Mayor Brown ducked public scrutiny again on Thursday, as did council chief executive Stabback.
Neither would agree to interviews with Newshub, so instead - like she has time and time again - the deputy mayor Desley Simpson fronted.
"I would've liked to have fronted up yesterday, Nick, but I didn't know it was on in time for me to cancel the things I had already planned for yesterday at the time," Simpson told Newshub.
"So I can't speak for the Mayor himself, but I do know, because I have spoken to his office about this, that he did want to give Mr Bush an opportunity without any political interference to explain the findings of his report."
It turns out the Mayor was talking the day before the damaging report's release at an event at Auckland's Northern Club.
"Auckland Emergency Management weren't that well organised for it - something I got caned for heavily - but they weren't."
Former Police Commissioner Mike Bush's review uncovered Auckland Council's emergency management system was "not prepared".
He found Brown's own office should've been "more active" in demanding information from officials, while he, Stabback and others' communication with ratepayers was found wanting.
"Senior leaders underestimated the importances of their visible leadership, which had an adverse effect on communications and public confidence," Bush said.
It's ironic the day after Bush went in over visibility, the only leader in sight was the mayor's deputy. She's promising change.
"I would like to think, should an event like this happen, that will never ever happen again," said Simpson.
And she said work's underway.
"Already, some of the things in the report have been started by way of changes in the organisation."
Out west, the locals said changes are essential both within Auckland Council but also on the ground by maintaining waterways.
"We just wonder, in all of that communication that has been had with the council and all of the advocating that has been done by individuals, they still were not prepared," Carter said.
Whatever the lessons, for those who lost so much, they've come far too late.
