Councillor admits being stoned while driving bus

Sandy Mulqueen admitted being stoned while working as an Auckland city bus driver. Photo / Thinkstock

A Waimate district councillor has admitted being stoned while working as an Auckland city bus driver.

Despite her admissions, Sandy Mulqueen looks set to retain her seat on the council.

On Tuesday, the Ashburton-born councillor admitted to Jim Mora on National Radio that she had smoked dope while working as a bus driver for the Auckland Regional Authority.

"I was stoned a lot. I never had one complaint from anyone, either from staff, inspectors or the public that were riding on my bus."

The 52-year-old councillor, who lodged a submission to the council's Long Term Plan in May calling for it to back her "We Desire Change" campaign to legalise cannabis, also admitted to the Otago Daily Times on Tuesday that she remained a cannabis user.

However, Waimate Mayor John Coles said that although Ms Mulqueen's "personal crusade" to decriminalise cannabis had caused much reaction within the community, it was unlikely that she would, or could, be removed from her post.

"As a mayor, you can't really dismiss a councillor without good reason, so really, she's here until such time as the next local body elections, when the local community will have their say."

Ms Mulqueen yesterday was adamant that both her campaign and media-reported admissions would not harm the community, and said she would press on with a public launch of her campaign in Waimate on Saturday.

"There has been a whole lot of jumping to conclusions about what I am proposing, but I have certainly not had anyone knocking down the door or ringing me to lambast me."