Hastings mayor Lawrence Yule has slammed councillors Wayne Bradshaw and Simon Nixon for misinformation during a crisis.
At a press conference yesterday on the Havelock North water crisis following more than 4000 people getting sick, he again addressed reports the council knew about Havelock North water contamination on Wednesday, August 10.
"I have asked my councillors, particularly Councillor Bradshaw, to provide me with evidence somehow the council knew earlier than Friday on this issue. He has been unable to provide me with any evidence so far."
Wayne Bradshaw.
He tabled a press release from Mr Bradshaw to TV3 titled Why was gastro warning delayed? saying Hastings District Council knew there was water contamination on Wednesday, August 10.
He also tabled an email from Mr Bradshaw to Mr Yule denying telling anyone the council knew of the infection on August 10.
"There is absolutely no evidence of the council or myself knowing of this issue before last Friday."
Mr Yule also brought up Councillor Nixon saying on Radio New Zealand that the chief executive and Mr Yule should be held to account for that.
"We had no knowledge until we got a suspect test at 9.45am. We were then notified by the Hawke's Bay District Health Board at 12.53pm and I was told at 2.30pm."
Last night Mr Nixon said he had simply commented that there was evidence "all was not well" before the outbreak - including the number of students absent from school, sick people presenting, and the need to chlorinate water following a weather event in 2013 - and the council should have taken action "as soon as there was the slightest inkling something was wrong".
Simon Nixon.
Mr Nixon said he had drawn attention to Mr Yule's absences from council as, although it had not directly impacted on this event, it could have if he were away.
As the leader of the elected council, he said Mr Yule should be responsible.
Mr Bradshaw also told broadcaster Paul Henry the council knew of the water contamination on August 10.
Mr Yule said he asked Mr Bradshaw for a public apology and would not tolerate "false information" and no attempt to "make it right when he clearly knew what he said was wrong".
He said false information was knowingly distributed during one of the district's biggest crises "and even if he did know later on he was wrong, made no attempt to clarify".
Mr Bradshaw placed an advert in today's Hawke's Bay Today explaining his statements, but he does not apologise. He said recent events were "surreal" and when he later accepted the council did not know until Friday he believed "at all times I had corrected my original press release and that all recipients were aware of my corrected position" on Monday, August 15.
"As an elected councillor, paid to represent the people of Hastings District, I have never been afraid to call things as I see them, keeping people informed. In this instance I may have been incorrect and thought I had rectified the press release."
Last night Mr Bradshaw said this statement had been sent to Mr Yule just after 9am yesterday morning, and was an explanation. If the mayor did not accept it, "so be it".
