Inquiry clears Laws

Wanganui's acid-tongued mayor, Michael Laws, has been found not guilty of breaching his council's code of conduct.

Wanganui City Council accepted an audit committee report yesterday absolving the mayor of complaints made by six residents about his behaviour.

"I'm annoyed that so much council time and ratepayers' money has been wasted on what is essentially a vexatious and frivolous complaint by people who should have made their complaints at the next election," Mr Laws told National Radio last night.

He said he was cleared by a council committee because he had not done anything wrong.

"Political debate is a robust environment," he said.

"On the major issue there, that I breached confidentiality, the committee has found not only I did not breach confidentiality but there is no factual evidence to support that position."

Mr Laws said he stood by his "nutters" and "inbreds" comments towards the complainants.

"I'm frankly only pleased with one thing - I'm their passion and I think people have got to have a passion.

"For these six people I'm it.

"But I have to say now I know what's it's like being the object of unwanted passion and I have an immediate empathy with every woman who is fending off unwanted advances on Saturday night from drunken slobs," he said.

Early this month Wanganui District Council's meeting chamber played host to the special public audit and administration meeting to hear the mayor's reply to six alleged code of conduct breaches.

A full public gallery turned out to hear Mr Laws rebut complaints laid by Wanganui residents Valerie Calder, Warwick Chapman, Carol Webb, Matt Dutton, William Pearce and Jay Kuten.

Mr Laws loudly proclaimed his innocence, again labelling the complainants "single-issue nutters".

- NZPA