Contact
Newsagent
Login
Rebels without a cause
Wellington.Scoop
Some Wellington city councilors made a foolish political mistake yesterday when they allowed their names to be used in a report complaining that the new mayor hadn’t yet spoken to them about the makeup of the new council.
What were they expecting? The election result was announced on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday, the mayor-elect was at a training day for new mayors. Did they want her to ignore the training (provided by Local Government New Zealand) and spend the day on her cellphone?
Ray Ahipene-Mercer is ringleader of a group who the DomPost would have us believe is made up of six instant rebels. “There is a bunch of us that need to be included … and so far we haven’t,” he complains, only 24 hours after the new mayor has been named.
It’s surprising to find Ian McKinnon in the group who the newspaper says “met yesterday to confirm” that Ms Wade-Brown had not yet spoken to them about the makeup of her council. Of all the councilors from the Prendergast years, he was one who could always be relied on to take a balanced view, and he should be aware of the limits of what’s possible to achieve in 24 hours.
Even more surprising to find Paul Eagle reported to be in the group of complaining councilors. His aims for the city – including inclusiveness – are far more aligned with those of the new mayor than with some of the others in the rebel group.
For Mr Ahipene-Mercer himself, it’s a foolish step to rush to identify himself as the leader of a group of “dissenting councilors.” Now that the DomPost has given front page treatment to the unconvincing complaint, he should be realising that a better tactic would have been to keep quiet till he’d had his first conversation with the new mayor, who – says the newspaper – will be trying to set up individual meetings with all councilors today.
Paul Eagle has contacted us to say that the DomPost report was inaccurate, he did not meet any of the five other named councilors, and he is not part of any dissenting group.
Read also
New mayor talks about working together
My understanding is that Cr Ahipene Mercer may be mistaken about who was at this “meeting”. Apparently Paul Eagle was unaware of his attendance until he read about it in today’s paper. Then again, I may be mistaken, but don’t always accept what you read in the paper, and journalists shouldn’t always accept what people tell them.
Those councillors named in the DomPost report, with the exception of Paul Eagle, were probably expecting things to be the same as under Ms Prendergast. Where deals were done, shoring up support for herself by giving jobs with more pay and perks, to those willing to support her no matter what – even if it goes against hustings promises and or philosophy. What a refreshing change, no more political patronage. As for Paul Eagle, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, for now. But as for the rest….
IF Stephanie is correct, and IF it turns out that Cr. Mercer fabricated his story to the Dom-Post (re councillor-elect Eagles’ alleged participation in his gang of six) , then Cr. Mercer may consider resignation as an appropriate and honourable next move. All of Wellington is looking forward optimistically to moving beyond political patronage to a new era of positivity, cooperation and progress. If it turns out he is responsible for such a scurrilous un-truth, then he should not even pretend he can be part of that and should make way for someone who can.
They’re saying that Ray Mercer is the new Chris Carter.
So, within the first few days of this triennium, the Prendergast acolytes led by Ahipene-Mercer start trying to undermine Celia. The other usual suspects are prominent – Morrison, Coughlan and co. So…….. what else is new?? I was surprised to see Councillor McKinnon named amongst ‘the disaffected’, but I hope he will clarify his position.
Just imagine the situation a few months from now. Celia will need all the support she can get, because who needs another three years of intrigue and politics diverting the attention of councillors from what they were elected to do.
Celia needs support from the councillors to get her plans through, she needs to talk to all her councillors and start working with them – hopefully this will now happen. I can’t imagine the councillors mentioned in the article sees Ahipene-Mercer as their leader or even that they are a “group” as such, just councillors meeting to discuss the election results and what will happen next . In saying that, Ahipene-Mercer should have taken his concerns to the mayor rather than the press.
The Dominion Post is not, and never has been, a reliable source of real news. I speak as a jaundiced observer of some 60 years. “The Dominion” was always a very conservative paper, despite journos claiming, loudly, that there were differences between the “Evening Post” and “The Dominion” – in substance there was nothing. The combined DomPost continues the conservative “good old days” world view, while flirting with London tabloid crap. (Why are police referred to as cops?)
The front page story about “non consultation” is complete crapola. Just when is a brand new Mayor supposed to “consult” with councillors? When a “wet behind the ears, underpaid cub reporter decides? I do not think so. Within 24 hours? I do not think so.
The Dominion has backed Kerry Prendergast (and Rex Nichols) for years. This is a just another example of the directors throwing their toys out of the cot and the editor placating them. Nothing much has changed in the last 60 years. The Wellington business establishment grinds on. The internet will prevail.
Kia ora, Like most of you, I was disappointed with the article which was inaccurate and misleading. I did not meet with any of the 5 councillors on Thursday 14 October. I am not part of any group of dissenting councillors questioning Celia and her commitment to be inclusive Mayor. Celia and I have briefly met and discussed some of my aspirations for the ward. I also rang the reporter and provided the above facts for his information too. I asked that for the future, he checks with me before relying on a spokesperson. Putting communities first is my number one priority for the people of Wellington south. With that comes my support for Celia and her vision for an inclusive council. Regards, Paul (mobile 021 673 630).
Paul: are you relying on the integrity of the DominionPost to have your viewpoint represented fairly? We suggest you wake up now and ditch this excuse for a newspaper. Congratulations on your achievement, we live in hope that balance will return to the Council and democracy will occupy its corridors once more.
Graeme: Ray Ahipene-Mercer takes his oath on the 27th of October – better get a move on.
Fascinating! I wrote to 14 Councillors and the Mayor on this matter yesterday (Friday). I received a response from Iona Pannett (always responds to emails) and Paul Eagle. No one else!
Ian McKinnon, it is alarming to say the least that you have not submitted a disclaimer as Paul Eagle has done. Please advise your position in this matter. I cannot believe that you would be party to Cr Ahipene-Mercer’s petty, self-centered complaint.
Not just a report in the Dominion Post about “dissident” councillors. I have just listened to the Best of Justin du Fresne, a repeat from Friday, and heard Cr Morrison refer to Celia as a “one term only” Mayor, with other derogatory comments. Funny, have he and Cr Mercer forgotten they both stood unsuccessfully for Mayor, but with the granting of lucrative Chairs, etc on the Council they were more than happy to vote whichever way they were directed.
I would like to remind Cr Mercer of email correspondence in October 2004 where he referred to setbacks faced by Mayor Prendergast and her followers and said we needed to breathe through our noses for a while until the chaos was sorted out and the hard talking started! By August 2005, he had apparently sorted things out (nothing like the promise of a chairmanship to melt the ice). Instead of loud mouthing now, he and his “mates” should give Celia breathing space and wait in line for their turn. After all, what’s best for Wellington should be their priority, not their personal gains.
Pauline, what an extraordinary but no doubt convenient mistruth from you — on Friday I partook in Justin Du Fresne’s “Face Off” programme. There were three participants as there usually are, and Justin of course, and quite contrary to your outrageous accusation it was Nick Mills who said Celia would be a one term Mayor, not me. I said nothing of the sort and also I made no derogatory comments regarding Celia or the Council so please just a little bit of truth Pauline would be nice.
If anyone wants to check on this, I believe you can dial up Newstalk ZB on line and listen to the Friday programme — I invite you to do that if you doubt what I’m saying.
As far as this “beat up” is concerned I think Stephanie is pretty well on the money with the first comment on this article.
Cheers
John Morrison
Come on Councillor Mckinnon! Time to front up and tell us why you are mixed up with this bunch of moaning councillors.
Hey v, haven’t had an email from you. Not sure what happened, maybe it bounced. Try me again. Cheers, Steph Cook.