Auckland Unplugged
Coping with Critical Infrastructure Failure

Using the 1998 blackout of the central business district of Auckland, New Zealand, as a case study, the authors reveal many important insights into the central challenges of crisis governance in post-industrial, democratic societies. This book describes and explores the general and recurring problems faced by crisis managers around the world.

_ Coping with competence/authority discrepancies under stress: Those who have expert knowledge of the technical issues rarely have the authority to make policy; those who have the authority generally lack the technical expertise to comprehend the subtleties and uncertainties of the issues at stake. _ Maintaining credibility and legitimacy when facing acute, ill-structured problmes in politicized, publicized, and highly uncertain environments. Such challenges are by no means specific to Auckland or to the problem of coping with urban 'blackouts.' Auckland Unplugged clearly describes and carefully explores general and recurring problems faced by crisis managers around the world.

Part 1 Public Sector Reform, Electricity Policy and Crisis Preparedness in New Zealand Part 2 The Power Outage Crisis: Key Events and Critical Decisions Part 3 Urban Crisis Management in Auckland: Thematic Analysis Part 4 Lesson for Crisis Managers