Following a radio interview segment in which he was labelled a troublemaker, Cr Benedict Ong referred online to an employment matter at the Dunedin City Council and repeatedly offered wild speculation about what any settlement might be worth.
Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker responded by requesting he remove his Facebook post immediately, as it appeared to breach council confidentiality.
She also referred him to the declaration he signed when he became a councillor, which included that he would follow the law.
Cr Ong is accused of breaching the council’s code of conduct by disclosing commercially sensitive information relating to a possible hotel development next to Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Councillors are due to decide today, behind closed doors, what to do about the findings in investigator Steph Dyhrberg’s final report.
Following the complaint against him, laid by council chief executive Sandy Graham, Cr Ong leaked Ms Dyhrberg’s draft preliminary assessment of his conduct, as well as sensitive information about Dunedin Venues and the hotel project.
In her draft report, Ms Dyhrberg said his actions could be a serious breach of the standard of behaviour expected of elected representatives.
On Friday, he was interviewed by Heather du Plessis-Allan on Newstalk ZB and claimed a former council executive was taking legal action against the council. He did not elaborate and Ms du Plessis-Allan decided he was a troublemaker.
He later suggested, without evidence, the figure could be up to $1 million.
In the radio interview on Friday, Cr Ong had said he was not privy to the specific numbers.
In Saturday’s Facebook post, Cr Ong said a meeting was held on January 28 and councillors were threatened with legal action if ‘‘the lawsuit’’ was disclosed.
He also said councillors were asked to sign a confidentiality agreement and he did not do so.
The Otago Daily Times has previously reported Ms Mash made a complaint about alleged bullying by Ms Graham.
Ms Mash said she was unable to comment.
Ms Barker issued a statement in response to various questions from the ODT.
‘‘Please note Cr Ong’s post was not authorised by the council and we make no comment on the accuracy of its contents,’’ she said.
‘‘We do not make any comments on internal employment matters.
‘‘We have obligations of confidence and privacy to all parties.’’
Among Facebook comments, one person said Cr Ong came across as a narcissist and he replied ‘‘Thank you!’’.
A series of people again called for Cr Ong’s resignation.
To one he replied: ‘‘This is getting cliched: Never.’’
In March, Cr Ong was found to be in breach of the code of conduct over an email about a staff member.
The council asked him to consider resigning. He declined to do so.
Minister of Local Government Simon Watts said on Friday night he was aware of concerns about Cr Ong’s conduct.
These had been raised both through public commentary and in correspondence with his office, he said.
‘‘I appreciate those members of the public raising their concerns with me,’’ Mr Watts said.
In addition to conduct issues, Cr Ong has sometimes struggled with how meetings are run — such procedure is outlined in a document known as standing orders.
‘‘My expectation is that councillors act in accordance with council codes of conduct and standing orders, and to the standards expected by their constituents who they represent,’’ Mr Watts said.
— Additional reporting Ruby Shaw
