Complaint laid against Horizons councillor who called election rival a 'dopehead'

Bruce Rollinson won more than double the votes of John Chapman in the 2016 election.

A Code of Conduct complaint has been laid against a Horizons regional councillor who called a former election rival a "dopehead".

The comments by Ruapehu councillor Bruce Rollinson were directed at National Park Community Board member John Chapman who referenced a news article on the Government's plans to implement controls on freshwater in a social media post.

You have totally misrepresented the facts and live in your own pathetic world. Go smoke some more dope, dopehead!

Bruce Rollinson

Rollinson said Chapman lived in "his own pathetic world" and told him to "Go smoke some more dope, dopehead!"

The pair were rivals in the 2016 election for Horizons' Ruapehu constituency with Rollinson retaining his seat on council with more than double the votes of Chapman.

Rollinson's post said: "John Chapman you need find out the facts before go on spouting on nothing you know about! The untruths (lies) you tell about One Plan I will call you out on. Nobody believes the crap you make up! You have totally misrepresented the facts and live in your own pathetic world. Go smoke some more dope, dopehead!"

Chapman complained to council chief executive Michael McCartney saying it was breach of councillors' code of conduct.

The council said it was a governance issue and the complaint was passed on to chairman Bruce Gordon.

"Councillor Gordon says he has investigated and since spoken with John Chapman. The matter is now closed," a Horizons spokesperson told the

Chronicle

.

John Chapman is a National Park Community Board member and a former Horizons candidate.

Rollinson also considered the matter dealt with and that he would have deleted the last sentence of the comment but Chapman had already taken the post down.

Council's own investigation was unable to find the post on Facebook.

"I regret entering into dialogue with him because I have much more important issues to attend to," Rollinson said.

John Chapman is a National Park Community Board member and a former Horizons candidate.

Chapman said he had deleted it after 24 hours "because I didn't want it to stay there, basically".

"I think Bruce needs to make an apology, if nothing else. He is alleging illegal activity.

"He can come back and say 'look mate, I'm sorry'."