Verbal attack on mayor, Sturt's disgust

FILE

The behaviour of a Rotorua man who took personal pot shots at Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick during submission hearings has been branded "the most disgusting thing I've seen in the council chamber" by Councillor Charles Sturt.

The man was one of several people to speak on their submissions to Rotorua Lakes Council members on Wednesday. He was asked to apologise to the mayor after he said she had failed Rotorua as an MP and attacked her leadership style.

He was making a submission regarding the council's controversial Te Arawa Partnership Proposal, but used some of his time to berate the mayor and her past career as a politician.

Councillor Charles Sturt (left)

Mr Sturt said he was so incensed he had to stop the man after he made personal attacks on the mayor instead of delivering his submission.

"I raised a point of order and asked him to apologise. It was very uncomfortable, totally unnecessary and uncalled for. To use the hearings process like that was absolutely gutless," Mr Sturt said.

Mrs Chadwick said she understood people were passionate about the issue.

"I have heard some outrageous claims about my integrity, and about the organisation, during this process and I'm pleased a senior colleague was strongly supportive. The important thing is that people have been given a chance to air their views, and we welcome that.

"We're really pleased at the level of community engagement on this issue.

"When I was elected I made a commitment to ensure robust community conversations took place before making our major decisions.

"I think in this case we've been extremely successful with that objective - as evidenced by attendance at public meetings and a record number of submissions.

"In the end we're elected to make decisions for the good of our community, and while those decisions won't always please everyone, we will enter into this important decision-making process knowing that we're well informed about the range of views held within our community," she said.

Apart from the man's outburst, Mr Sturt said the submission hearings process was going well and the behaviour of the other almost 200 submitters heard in person was excellent.

"But a lot of people think this is Steve's proposal - it is not, it's Te Arawa's proposal. Councillors voted for it as one of the four options we sent out for consultation," he said.

Councillor Karen Hunt said she was pleased with the range of submissions being heard.

"I'm really enjoying the process because of the history I'm being exposed to and that the community has felt so engaged with the process.

"I've been amazed at the diversity of views and heartened by the courage of those challenging the status quo but also saddened by the perceived fear that has come out by some of the submitters."

Councillors have one more day of submission hearings to complete on Monday before meeting again on May 26 to deliberate and make their final decision on the proposal.