Russell Albert Liggett (57) died when a poplar tree on Lower Shotover Rd fell during high winds and crushed the cab of his ute, on September 14 last year.
Mr Crerar was commenting on the Queenstown Lakes District Council's delay in removing the rest of the rotting poplar trees on Lower Shotover Rd.
"I personally love trees, but it must be on the basis those trees don't place a danger on human beings," he said.
He also questioned why the tree felling was further delayed because of protected hawthorn bushes under the trees.
"I shake my head to see why dangerous trees remain at the expense of weeds planted nearby," he said.
Mr Liggett, a self-employed farmer and school bus driver, was married with three children.
Mr Liggett's wife, Cindy, said she had ongoing concern about ageing trees in the district.
She said another tree, which had been deemed by council inspectors as safe two years ago, had fallen in the past two weeks on Speargrass Flat Rd.
"It's going to be a big issue for the next five or 10 years.
"I don't quite know how to deal with it," she said.
Council parks manager Gordon Bailey said work on removal began last week and would take three weeks at a cost of over $69,000.
He said council's tree policy needed to be reviewed to add more emphasis on managing trees on rural land.
He said ageing trees were a significant challenge for the council, which was "struggling to fund proactive tree maintenance".
He was proposing councillors allocate $10,000 for the next three years to investigate potentially dangerous trees and a further $30,000 to remove them.
He said councillors would consider the recommendations next month.
Constable Brian Fitzgerald said Mr Liggett died of multiple traumatic injuries.
Two arborist reports by Asplundh and New Zealand Tree Care concluded the 110-year-old tree was weakened with significantly advanced decay.
Mr Liggett saw the tree falling and reacted by heavily braking, causing 12.1m skid marks.
If Mr Liggett had not seen the tree or not braked, the tree would have landed behind him, he said.
"It was unrealistic to expect Mr Liggett to react in any other way when he realised the tree was falling on to the road," he said.
"[It was] one of the windiest days I've ever encountered in this area," Const Fitzgerald said.
Three other trees fell that day on Malaghans Rd and SH6.
Quail Rise resident Bruce Haines told police his weather station recorded a gust measuring 65kmh.
The court heard from Roger Cleghorn (49), of Frankton, who was a passenger in a car driving behind Mr Liggett.
He said Mr Liggett was travelling between 60kmh and 70kmh.
He saw one poplar tree fall towards the road.
Mr Liggett braked, but the tree came down right in the middle of the cab.
"There was nothing I could do.
"The damage was very extensive and there was no sign of life," he said.
Coroner David Crerar reserved his findings and recommendations.
