"Staff work here as part of our team to serve and deliver for our city so, please, please, respect staff. And don’t pick on departments — that is not OK" Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker

"There have been comments made in the last few minutes around ... staff, which I think is incredibly inappropriate" Cr Christine Garey

"Some serious picking on departments and reducing their costs is now necessary to reduce our unsustainable operational spend." Cr Lee Vandervis

"It’s expected that, as public servants, staff will take reasonable criticism in their stride as long as it’s not personal." Cr Russell Lund

"You have to be resilient when you work in a publicly funded institution. And governance groups and council must have the ability to discuss all options on the table." By-election candidate Jo Galer

"Officers shouldn't need to be a protected species, but they also shouldn't be thrown under the bus by politicians when it suits their own ends. We should want them to do well." By-election candidate Aaron Hawkins