In a Facebook post late on Saturday night, Cr Benedict Ong advised Cr Steve Walker to enrol in English language courses after he criticised Cr Ong’s failed motion to gift naming rights for some public assets as complex and confusing.
"If after reading the motion two dozen times you still cannot comprehend it, may I please kindly suggest considering the following fantastic resources from our leading university, and our council, that we have in our great city," Cr Ong wrote.
He attached links to English language courses offered by the Dunedin City Council and the University of Otago.
Cr Walker said such comments, possibly perceived as "patronising or condescending", risked undermining work towards a collaborative council, but Cr Ong doubled down, suggesting it was Cr Walker who was patronising and condescending.
The matter stemmed from Cr Ong’s unsuccessful motion at last Thursday’s council meeting which requested a report on recognising "significant philanthropic and corporate contributions" with naming rights for select public assets.
Cr Ong’s motion indicated "conditional, non-commercial naming recognition" of assets, possibly including trails, buildings and facilities, subject to statutory, cultural and community safeguards and consistent with the Treaty of Waitangi obligations.
His motion was voted down 12-2 and Cr Walker said he could not support nor make sense of it.
"With no disrespect to the mover, I really struggle to understand and decipher the notice of motion, despite me reading it probably two dozen times."
Cr Ong also addressed deputy mayor Cherry Lucas in Saturday’s post.
During the meeting, she said the council already had processes to attract commercial sponsorship and she would be loath to see a "Westpac Dunedin Railway Station".
Cr Ong said he was more concerned about the recent closure of Westpac’s Mosgiel branch "than I am that Westpac as banker to our city council ... will suddenly decide to generously donate large sums of money to our city assets".
Asked what he made of the comments, Cr Walker said Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker had made great efforts to "foster a more collaborative approach" within the council.
"In that context, online comments made by Cr Ong in relation to his recent motion — particularly those that could be perceived as patronising or condescending towards the deputy mayor and myself — risk undermining these efforts and may unfortunately reflect unfavourably on Cr Ong."
Cr Lucas declined to comment, apart from clarifying Westpac was an example she thought of while speaking, and she could have used the name of any business.
The Otago Daily Times put Cr Walker’s comments to Cr Ong, who advised him to avoid a "double standard".
"Cr Walker ought to ... ask himself on his statement made at our council meeting, is he in need of kind assistance in his reading comprehension to be unable to understand plain English after reading at least 24 times the motion put forth as he himself publicly stated, or was he making a patronising and condescending statement when replying on a motion of great possible community benefit?"
