Fifty people were killed on March 15 when a lone gunman entered two mosques in the city and shot members of the Muslim community who had gathered for Friday prayers, an attack that stunned the country.
Speaking at the first council meeting since the attack, Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said people often saw terror attacks unfold in other parts of the world, but never expected them to happen at home.
''It's been very personal... this is something I don't think you can forget or forgive.''
He said it would be ''forever written in our history,'' but ''did not define New Zealand''.
''Picking up a gun and killing 50 innocent people is not what New Zealand is about.
''I am very proud of how the people of Waitaki have reacted to this situation. At the end of the day we are all Waitakians and are all here for each other, just like we are all New Zealanders and we are all here for each other.''
Councillor Jim Hopkins also spoke.
''Some people have said, wrongly, this is us and we have to change. It isn't us and it wasn't us. It was an alien that came here with hate in his heart,'' he said.
Those present stood in silence for two minutes before the meeting began.
