The comment from Cr Aaron Hawkins came as councillors voted to endorse the Dunedin destination plan at this week's economic development committee meeting.
The vote came despite concerns expressed by Cr Hawkins, who said the document was a big improvement on earlier versions despite the ''deafening absence'' of mana whenua within it.
Enterprise Dunedin director John Christie, responding to an earlier question from Cr Marie Laufiso, told the meeting the consultation process had struggled to attract input from local runanga.
Cr Hawkins said mana whenua were overlooked even in the document's pictures, which featured tourist attractions, a kayaker, cyclists, penguins and an albatross.
He hoped the pictures could be changed to give mana whenua at least a ''nod'', but it remained 'an extraordinary oversight for that to be absent to the degree that it is''.
Cr Christine Garey, a member of the committee which heard submissions on the plan, said she was ''really proud of this document''.
The committee tried ''really hard to include everybody'' but she understood other councillors' concerns.
''We can always do better.''
The draft plan was criticised at a hearing in September last year, for lacking key details about the city.
The revised version incorporated ''dozens'' of changes, including adding references to the value of education, tourism and the benefits of the city's creative sector.
Cr Hawkins still voted to adopt the plan, which he said was a better articulation of what the city had to offer, but Cr Laufiso voted against it.
The vote was subject to final sign-off at the next full council meeting.
