‘The law is an ass’

Horowhenua’s mayor is calling the law an ‘‘ass’’ as he tries to reinstate his ousted deputy.

Ross Campbell was rolled by councillors and then mayor Michael Feyen tried to reappoint him at a meeting that descended into farce and confusion on Wednesday.

Councillors voted in a new deputy, Wayne Bishop, but Feyen still wants Campbell as his deputy – a standoff that is unprecedented in New Zealand politics after a law change declaring mayors could choose their deputies.

Bishop is considered deputy, at least for now.

‘‘Pretty much the legal guidance is that the law is an ass,’’ Feyen said.

Local government commentator Andy Asquith described the situation as a ‘‘new phenomenon’’ in New Zealand politics.

Following the events at the meeting, Asquith said the term that came to mind for him was ‘‘dysfunctional council’’.

Feyen met with council chief executive David Clapperton on Thursday morning to discuss the legalities of reinstating Campbell.

Feyen said he sought legal advice before Wednesday’s meeting, but he was still working out what he would do next.

He spoke to law firm Simpson Grierson, as well as seeking advice from other mayors.

‘‘I spoke to a number of mayors, too, and they think the law’s an ass,’’ Feyen said.

Bishop said the first half of the meeting was ‘‘painful’’ and could have been avoided.

‘‘We gave plenty of opportunity for a different outcome,’’ he said.

Bishop said Feyen and Campbell had ‘‘ostracised themselves’’ so far.

‘‘From our stance it has been sorted. What is challenging is the perceived ambiguity in the law,’’ the Bishop said.

Campbell said the law needed to be tidied up.

‘‘It shouldn’t say the mayor can appoint his deputy and on the next page, the councillors can roll him.

‘‘I feel sorry for Michael that he’s been left in a position that legislation’s got him in a hole.’’

Campbell said the dispute was not about him. It was about councillors trying to prove they could beat the mayor.

Department of Internal Affairs spokeswoman Sarah-lee Crellin said it was unable to give a legal opinion on the matter.

A Local Government New Zealand spokesperson said that if a council voted to change its deputy mayor, the new deputy mayor could be confirmed either at that meeting or at another meeting shortly after.

Generally, most deputy mayors were appointed with the support of their councils.

Campbell chose not to speak at the council meeting as he did not think it was good to retaliate.

‘‘I didn’t think the whole meeting was becoming to councillors. They were a lot lower than I expected.

‘‘I thought we were above that stuff.’’