YOUR VIEWS
on things.”
Perhaps this should also apply to those at the meeting, who are offended, for their reconsideration.
A further quote attributed to the Mayor: “We will go through this investigation process and determine the future from there.”
What is there to investigate? I have known Cr Boddy for some years and I am certain there was no intention by him to offend anyone.
PC too far
It is with dismay and disgust I follow the ridiculous performance of our Mayor, CEO Green and some councillors in the way they have reacted to an innocent “slip of the tongue” by Cr Boddy. To take this minor issue to a full-blown Code of Conduct procedure is beyond belief. The council surely has far more important matters to spend its time and money on.
Cr Boddy is a man of good integrity and works diligently on behalf of ratepayers. To slam him with racist accusations is both insulting and bullying behaviour.
Following what he said on the spur of the moment, he quickly apologised. There was certainly no racist intent, so that should have been the end of the matter.
We read and hear so much these days about being kind and the evils of bullying and domestic violence. By allowing this minor transgression to end up as a major issue is taking PC too far. Come on Mayor and Councillors, withdraw the Code of Conduct proceedings and get on with the real issues that matter in our great town and district.
Fair go for all
In a video available on the internet, the Taupo¯ Mayor accuses Cr John Boddy of “filthy, disgusting behaviour” in regard to a remark he made at a council meeting.
But hang on, council is reported to be engaging a barrister to investigate whether the single word in a remark Cr Boddy made, followed by immediate apology, represents a serious breach of the council's Code of Conduct or was a foolish slip of the tongue, that the mayor in the same video appears to acknowledge, saying “a slip of the tongue might be a possibility”.
The Mayor has presented council with a problem, an ethical conflict of interest.
He has pre-empted the barrister's investigation with the words “filthy, disgusting behaviour” that, in this instance, are uttered deliberately and against tenets of natural justice?
Unfortunately, after all that has been said and done, there is at least an impression that perhaps some council reaction is less to do with the foolish, and to be fair, improper uttering of a racist word, than about embarrassing Mr Boddy, an outspoken councillor and wellknown critic of some things council does? Do some in council seek Mr Boddy's resignation or expulsion?
Fair go! How many councillors who registered a complaint against Mr Boddy are prepared to register one against the Mayor for his more deliberate breach of protocol?
Taupo¯ District Council responds: Council is following due process in relation to complaints it has received under its code of conduct including engaging an independent third party.