Macpherson says he will not apologise
| Author | Felix Desmarais |
| Published date | 18 December 2021 |
| Publication title | Daily Post, The (Rotorua, New Zealand) |
The code of conduct complaints relate to social media posts by Macpherson.
But Macpherson is refusing to apologise, says he was telling the truth, and is being denied freedom of speech and “democratic duty” to represent constituents.
A former mayor says the council’s move is, in his view, an “attack on democracy” but a constitutional law expert says sanctions for the behaviour may be in proportion.
On Thursday evening, the council released a statement on its website regarding the outcome of the code of conduct process into Macpherson’s posts.
It said in the confidential part of Thursday’s council meeting, the council had considered the recommendations from its Audit and Risk Committee, which had itself commissioned an independent investigation into five complaints alleging code of conduct breaches by Macpherson.
Two further, unrelated complaints were added to the investigation, it said.
The three main complaints, according to the independent report, were from council chief executive Geoff Williams, councillor Fisher Wang and Rural Community Board chairwoman Shirley Trumper.
They were about social media posts on wastewater, the homeless and the council’s management restructure. The complaints were between April 14 and 15 this year.
In the meeting, the council resolved to direct Macpherson to do a refresher course on the code of conduct and give a formal apology and retraction which must be approved by a committee including the mayor, the council statement said.
The apology had to be published through formal council channels.
The council had also agreed if Macpherson did not provide the apology by January 28, 2022, it would remove him from the council’s Operations and Monitoring Committee, and Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee.
The two committees provide recommendations to the council, which the council ultimately debates and provides final decisions on. The committees consist of all councillors as well as representatives from the Lakes and Rural community boards and Te Tatau o Te Arawa.
In the statement, Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said it was a “fair and robust process and the council had taken Macpherson’s responses into account in the decision”.
“These types of matters are always difficult and we have taken all relevant factors into account.
“We’ve made our decision, the ball is now in councillor Macpherson’s court and it’s my hope he will honour the process and the outcome to...
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