Mayor's actions 'inconsistent'

Teresa Stevenson
Teresa Stevenson
Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin has been attacked by one of his own councillors, who says the mayor is "at risk" of being found to have broken council rules in his handling of a public complaint against Cr Paul Hudson.

Cr Teresa Stevenson, who was herself subjected to a conduct committee investigation earlier this year, said Mr Chin's refusal to refer a public complaint against Cr Hudson to the conduct committee showed "a lack of consistency".

Andrew Whiley
Andrew Whiley
Cr Stevenson was found to have leaked confidential information to the media and, following a conduct committee investigation, was ordered to apologise.

"I suppose what I'm seeing is a lack of consistency, where my breach is investigated and others are not.

"In the time I have been [on council], there have been a few cases of councillors acting aggressively . . . that have not been put through to the conduct committee.

"That is inconsistent."

Asked if she thought Mr Chin had broken the council's code of conduct by refusing to explain his decision, Cr Stevenson said the rules were "quite clear".

"If the code of conduct is specific enough to say you must give reasons then you must give reasons or you would be at risk of being in breach of the code of conduct itself."

The code, in a section under "openness", states, "Members should be as open as possible about their actions and those of the council, and be prepared to justify their actions."

However, Mr Chin has repeatedly refused to discuss his decision.

"I have made my decision.

"I'm not going to go into any explanation," he said last week.

The complaint against Cr Hudson stems from an angry telephone exchange he had with Chisholm Park Golf Club golf professional Andrew Whiley on September 24, hours after a man was found dead at Lawyers Head.

Mr Whiley claims Cr Hudson linked him to the man's death, because of public comments Mr Whiley had previously made against plans for a security fence at Lawyers Head.

Mr Chin, in a letter to Mr Whiley obtained by the ODT last week, said he had "mediated" a solution with Cr Hudson, involving Cr Hudson writing an apology to Mr Whiley, and would not be taking any further action.

Mr Whiley said the decision amounted to favouritism, and said he was considering running for a seat on the council at next year's local body elections.

However, Cr Michael Guest - another councillor to apologise this year, after being found to have "inadvertently" revealed commercially sensitive information - said the focus on Cr Hudson's behaviour was not warranted.

"Cr Hudson is one of the most pleasant, urbane, reasonable councillors we have got.

"This has become a large storm in a very small teacup," he said.

He was not convinced Mr Whiley's account of the conversation between the pair was accurate, but said it would amount to "robust political debate".

"It's a strong comment but it doesn't qualify as treating someone with disrespect.

"It's not a breach of conduct in my view," he said.

The council's code, in a section under "relationships with the community", said citizens should be "accorded respect in the dealings with the council".

Asked if Mr Chin had broken the code by not explaining his decision to media, Cr Guest said, "I think the whole thing is a storm in a teacup.

"I'm not going to comment on it."

- chris.morris@odt.co.nz

 

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