MLT ‘never in your life’ dysfunctional

The president of a southern licensing trust says he will not accept his deputy’s apology following a fiery meeting this week.

Gore-based Mataura Licensing Trust operates a range of alcohol-related businesses in Southland with a mandate for redistributing profits within the community.

On Thursday, tempers flared at one of its meetings after president Horace McAuley accused deputy Vince Aynsley of bullying in his president’s report.

The situation centred on an incident at the New Zealand Licensing Trusts Association conference in Invercargill on July 19, where Mr McAuley alleged Mr Aynsley asked him how he would feel when he was no longer president next term.

The Otago Daily Times was at Thursday’s meeting and said Mr Aynsley could not recall the exchange but would apologise for whatever he hypothetically said.

An argument then began between president Mr McAuley and board member Jeannine Cunningham over an employment issue — but not before she alleged the president had blown up at a previous meeting and was guilty of bullying himself.

Ms Cunningham claimed she was approached by multiple people at the Invercargill conference asking: "When are you getting rid of Horace?".

Despite the infighting, Mr McAuley shut down any suggestion the licensing trust was dysfunctional.

"Never in your life. Never, ever, ever," Mr McAuley told Local Democracy Reporting.

The issues had not dissuaded him from wanting to stay on at the trust, and he noted he had been elected president unopposed since 2010.

"We’re a busy trust and as their president I have an awful lot to do. And so I’m not focusing on this," he said.

"To be fair to both myself and the Mataura Licensing Trust, it’s a distraction, and the person responsible for the distraction is the person who should answer the questions.

"That’s Vince Aynsley."

Mr McAuley said he "received" Mr Aynsley’s apology, which was different to "accepting" it.

Mr Aynsley did not wish to comment on the situation but said he had asked Mr McAuley how he would feel "hypothetically" if he was not president next year.

"I’m in no rush to talk or bring down Horace or say anything in public at this stage."

The president’s dig at his deputy was not the only criticism Mr Aynsley faced at the meeting.

Another member, Bryan Burgess, claimed Mr Aynsley underhandedly took his deputy role three years ago, which Mr Aynsley accepted.

Licensing trust elections run at the same time as local body elections with the president selected by members. The next election is set for October 11.

■LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.