The police may need to be involved in serving documents to controversial Dunedin councillor Benedict Ong, leaked correspondence shows.

This follows the University of Otago considering a ban on Cr Ong from its grounds and premises. 

Cr Ong shared on his Facebook page an exchange of text messages that he said were between himself and university proctor Dave Scott.

Mr Scott was going to serve some documents on behalf of the university and the Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA), the first message said.

OUSA had previously advised Cr Ong would be trespassed from its premises.

The university has been considering whether to take things further by banning Cr Ong from its grounds and premises.

It was also weighing up whether an alternative arrangement might be more suitable.

Limited access was one possibility.

According to the text messages presented by Cr Ong, Mr Scott offered to hand him the documents discreetly.

However, Cr Ong indicated he wanted a public spectacle on Friday afternoon.

One of the text messages on Cr Ong’s Facebook page said Mr Scott was unaware of his home address and preferred not to come to his workplace.

“My least-preferred option would be to ask police to serve the documents.”

Cr Ong has been at the centre of a series of controversies since he was elected onto the Dunedin City Council last year.

In July, he was asked to leave two public events. One of them was a student protest.

The OUSA trespass notice followed reports from students alleging “inappropriate and unwanted behaviours”, OUSA president Daniel Leamy said last week.

Cr Ong accused people of spreading falsehoods against him.

The university wrote to Cr Ong on Thursday last week, inviting him to respond to its own proposed trespass notice.

University registrar Dr Clark told Cr Ong that OUSA had reported two alleged incidents in which the councillor’s physical proximity or contact was unwanted during a campus protest.

This included after the students had asked him to move or they had expressed their discomfort, he said.

Cr Ong had also posted on social media about being near the St David St building at 3am and at Ubar late at night and had taken photographs of students attending flat parties.

“Your behaviour towards students on campus within these contexts has led to them reporting that they feel uncomfortable and unsafe.”

Dr Clark told Cr Ong OUSA had expressed concern in general that “you are not listening to our students when they express they feel uncomfortable or unsafe in your presence and that you are not respecting their boundaries”.

Cr Ong was given until 3pm on Monday this week to respond.

Cr Ong said false statements had been made against him.

He had been invited to a student party, he said.

There had been “multiple requests I gladly obliged at the event of our students . . . for me to take photos and videos with them . . . of my public service for our student and wider community”.

Cr Ong said his visit to Ubar was well documented.

“I was immediately recognised by student supporters who requested to me that I take photos with them and their friends, which can be seen widely on my social media.”