‘Pull finger, Wellington’
Council leaders in the regions have issued a plea for unity to their city counterparts.
Wellington City’s mayor and councillors have been told to ‘‘pull finger’’ by neighbouring mayors, after a string of public spats revealed deep divisions over the council’s response to Covid-19.
The call was led by Kapiti mayor K Gurunathan, who issued a statement yesterday imploring councillors to put aside their differences and show leadership in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
‘‘I’m making a public appeal to Wellington City’s mayor and councillors to pull finger and sort their differences for the sake of the Wellington region.’’
His comments came after news that facilitator Sue Wells had been recruited to sort out disputes among councillors, one of which ended in a formal code of conduct complaint.
But Wellington mayor Andy Foster hit back at the criticism, saying the council had experienced a turbulent time but was committed to putting those problems behind it. ‘‘We’ve had a few issues recently regarding some councillor behaviour, which is why we’ve started a process run by an independent facilitator to sort things out constructively. That exercise is already under way,’’ he said in a statement.
Councillors were on their best behaviour during a meeting on its draft Annual Plan broadcast on Zoom yesterday, he said.
In the statement, Foster described the meeting as ‘‘perfectly constructive and amicable’’, and said the council would continue to ‘‘get things done’’.
Foster recently accused some of his councillors of putting personal political ambitions above serving the city, while councillor Diane Calvert has laid an official complaint against colleague Tamatha Paul over allegations of bullying.
Gurunathan’s public message urged councillors to sort out their differences for the sake of the region.
‘‘I do this reluctantly but the importance of the city’s economy to the rest of the region is so critical that some regional concern at what’s happening must be signalled,’’ he said.
‘‘I’m confident other mayors in the region are equally concerned.’’
Regional councils were often told what was good for Wellington was good for the region, Gurunathan said.
‘‘By extension, therefore, what’s bad for Wellington is bad for the region . . . I appeal to our Wellington City Council politicians to put aside differences and support the people of the region during this time of crisis.’’
Gurunathan’s comments were backed by other mayors across the region, with Masterton mayor Lyn Patterson saying the council need to stop its infighting.
‘‘If the biggest council in the region can’t get on with it, then I have some real worries.’’
The region needed to be seen to be working together in its fight against Covid-19, she said.
Porirua City mayor Anita Baker agreed Wellington’s councillors needed to get behind Foster, and said public spats were a ‘‘terrible look for the region’’.
She was backed by South Wairarapa mayor Alex Beijen, who said Gurunathan’s criticism was founded.
‘‘It is disappointing to see councillors apparently playing to the public, and not supporting their mayor with a collaborative and combined approach.
‘‘Different opinions are important, and productive, but should never be taken to a level that divides.’’
Carterton mayor Greg Lang and Lower Hutt mayor Campbell Barry did not want to comment on Gurunathan’s statement.
Lang said he had a good working relationship with the region’s mayors, while Barry said he had not seen Gurunathan’s comments.
Upper Hutt mayor and Mayoral Forum chairman Wayne Guppy said times of crisis required strong leadership from both mayors and councillors.
While there was an expectation of robust discussion, now was not a time for a battle of ideologies, he said.
‘‘The region needs to be united through [the coronavirus emergency].’’
Having the region speaking with a single voice would increase the likelihood of creating new partnerships with other sectors when New Zealand moved into a post Covid-19 recovery phase, he said.