One maxim says it’s better to keep quiet and look foolish than open your mouth and prove it. Sometimes, listening, rather than talking or leaping at every perceived slight, is the far better course of action.
Which brings us to the concerning behaviour of novice Dunedin city councillor Benedict Ong.
Before he has even had his training wheels removed, Cr Ong seems to be riding crazily around the council chamber, splashing joyfully through the deepest puddles.
Firstly, just a week after last year’s election, there was the making people feel "uncomfortable" saga, with one returning councillor even blocking his calls.
Council chief executive Sandy Graham emailed Cr Ong to say several people had told her of awkward interactions they had had with him and that she was committed to ensuring the council workplace was safe, respectful and inclusive.
While Ms Graham did not believe the behaviour was intentional on his part, she wanted to support him and show him how to ensure there was a "safe and professional environment for all".
Just a few days later, Cr Ong and Cr Lee Vandervis were at odds over the former’s credentials in the banking sector, which generated a scurry of activity to check out the new councillor’s background.
Then, days before Christmas, Cr Ong made a complaint about the conduct of fellow new councillor John Chambers, for "discriminatory comments he made against our South Asian community in Dunedin", in what Cr Russell Lund said was a confrontation in a carpark.
Ms Graham appointed independent investigator Steph Dyhrberg to look into Cr Ong’s complaint, as required by the council’s code of conduct. She specifically requested Cr Ong not discuss the matter widely with the public or through media, to maintain the impartiality of the investigation.
However, he emailed this newspaper less than half an hour after being asked not to. Last week he went further, publishing a lengthy social-media post about his complaint.
Then this week, in the latest instalment to become public, Cr Ong oddly claimed Ms Graham oversaw a council workshop on December 12 and witnessed Cr Chambers’ potential code of conduct breach, saying she should have intervened then.
It turns out that not only had it been Ms Barker who was chairing that workshop, but the chief executive wasn’t even "in the room at the time of the alleged incident", the mayor said.
Cr Ong changed tack and told us he accepted the mayor had been workshop chairwoman but did not address the issue of Ms Graham’s being outside the room. However, he said there had been a lack of response from her and wanted her to give him advice "according to her responsibility and role".
This is all very peculiar behaviour.
We understand freshly minted councillors are on a steep learning curve and will take some time to come to grips with the sometimes arcane workings of the council.
But rather than ignore advice and sow a certain degree of chaos when your feet are barely under the council table, the best advice for newbies remains be quiet, watch, listen and learn.
Beware alternative UN
Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump is working on his latest wheeze to change the global order.
Mr Trump has been sending off invitations to all and sundry, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and even, reportedly, Vladimir Putin, asking if they want to join his "board of peace", initially to oversee the Israel and Hamas ceasefire in Gaza.
Bloomberg and international media are reporting that, if the board’s role is expanded as Mr Trump hopes to resolve other conflicts, there are fears it will undermine the United Nations.
Mr Trump would, of course, be chairman, possibly in perpetuity, and nations would be asked to pay $US1 billion if they want to stay on the board.
It sounds like something to be extremely wary of.
