Source: Radio New Zealand
Mt Albert Aquatic Centre. Supplied / Community Leisure Management
An Auckland mum is unhappy with the response from a local pool after her son smashed his front teeth while on a hydroslide – only weeks after a man lost his finger.
Tanya Rusher said she understands accidents happen, but felt the way her 12-year-old son was dealt with by staff at Mt Albert Aquatic Centre was not good enough.
It comes as Worksafe confirmed it would revisit the centre this month after learning about the second injury. It said improvements had been made when its inspector visited the centre two days after a man lost his finger when a ring caught on a bolt inside the slide.
Rusher said her son banged his teeth on the metal hydroslide when his head was thrown around while enjoying a day out with his family on January 2.
“He came up to me and said his tooth was feeling all fuzzy and sore and he felt sick.”
Rusher said when she looked at his teeth one had been broken in half and the pulp of his tooth was visible.
“We told reception what happened and asked if they had an incident form we could fill out to give to a dentist, but they said they didn’t have anything.”
Instead, Rusher said she was told to fill out her details on a piece of paper and staff would get in contact with her later.
She said her son, who was in a state of shock, was given an ice pack and told to sit in the public cafeteria, in full view of all the other patrons.
Tanya Rusher’s son was left with a chipped tooth after the accident at the Mt Albert Aquatic Centre. TANYA RUSHER / SUPPLIED
“As it was a public holiday, we didn’t know what to do… we rang up dental places but no answer, so we rang Healthline.”
Rusher said Healthline instructed her to give her son Pamol and Ibuprofen, and the next day they were able to get an emergency appointment at a dental company on Auckland’s North Shore.
A temporary cover was put over her son’s chipped tooth, but was told it was possible the tooth next to it was dying and may need work done in the future.
The family paid $289 for two dental appointments and Rusher worried her son may have lifelong dental problems as a result.
Rusher said the centre needed to have health and safety policies in place and incident forms for when accidents did happen.
She also wanted to see the centre create an area for injured people to go that wasn’t in the full view of the public.
“No one said we’ll stop the slide and see if we can find the tooth… it felt like no one wanted to know.”
She said someone from the centre called her the day after the incident, but only to ask for her to return the ice pack.
The manager rang the following week to say an incident report was being completed, but she had not heard more since then.
“They weren’t helpful and I still haven’t had any incident form sent to me.”
Rusher said her family used to go the Mt Albert Aquatic Centre regularly, but she wouldn’t be going back now.
“Accidents do happen but we weren’t helped… the fact this was the second incident shows something is going on with that slide.”
Operator Community Leisure Management (CLM)’s director Kirsty Knowles said staff followed the right process when dealing with Rusher’s son by recording details.
“It’s normal practice for our staff to apply first aid in the foyer, reception area or at poolside as the facility has no dedicated first aid room.”
She said the incident was captured in the centre’s health and safety system and would be tracked through usual processes.
The slide was regularly checked for operational safety, she said.
“We stress that following pool rules or guidance and the instructions of lifeguards is important in keeping everyone safe.”
She said signs around the slide were being improved and would be in place within the week.
Auckland Council’s head of service partner delivery Garth Dawson, said the slide had been inspected twice since August 2025.
He said if WorkSafe found an issue with the slide or the operating procedures beyond what had already been identified, council would work with the slide manufacturer and CLM on further steps.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
