Peter Bentley: Rotorua Lakes councillor Peter Bentley resigns during fiery exchange with mayor Steve Chadwick
Early Edition with Ryan Bridge · Newstalk ZB
April 28, 20225m 46s
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Show Notes
Rotorua councillors have been left shocked after one of their own suddenly quit in a fiery exchange with mayor Steve Chadwick.
Peter Bentley resigned, effective immediately, in a public council meeting during a discussion about the council's controversial Māori wards bill, which was put on pause just hours later.
Other councillors have criticised the mayor's handling of the meeting.
Chadwick says she is "disappointed" Bentley quit, and takes exception to what she believes were "disrespectful" accusations he made about her.
In the full Rotorua Lakes Council meeting, Chadwick moved to include a confidential discussion about the Rotorua District Council (Representation Arrangements) Bill.
She said it was to "enable us all as council, together, to have a free and frank discussion in response to the attorney general's request for further information needed to develop policy work".
Attorney General David Parker last week found the bill would breach the Bill of Rights Act, but that more information may be needed for a full assessment.
Chadwick's motion drew a point of order from councillor Reynold Macpherson to ask if her motion could be discussed.
Chadwick said no, it was the chair's ruling.
"I have ruled."
Bentley then raised an urgent item not on the agenda.
Expressing his opinion, Bentley said: "The mayor found out very early that I would not be one to merely follow her and her radical and blatant racist ideas.
"Therefore, she has shunned me and not sought the practical advice I bring to this table."
Chadwick interrupted Bentley with a point of order, but he continued to speak as Chadwick again made a point of order and stood up.
Under standing orders for council meetings, when a chairperson stands during debate, members should sit down and be silent.
Bentley also stood and councillor Mercia Yates called a point of order to which he said: "Who's that?".
Chadwick, still standing, asked Bentley to "withdraw and apologise or leave the meeting".Bentley sat and said: "Well, my final statement, madam mayor -" before he was interrupted by Chadwick.
"No, there's no final say Councillor Bentley, I take exception to your ... "
Bentley continued to speak, saying: "I have no longer confidence in this council and thereby tender my resignation effective immediately."
Chadwick continued to speak as Bentley did, saying: "Councillor Bentley, I ask you to leave the meeting please, I've so ruled. Councillor Bentley, just leave the meeting."
Bentley: "I have resigned, madam mayor."
Chadwick: "Oh, well, there we are."
Macpherson shook Bentley's hand as he left the table saying, "ka kite, e hoa".
As Bentley left the council chamber, Chadwick said again she "took exception" to Bentley's remarks.
Councillor Raj Kumar said he believed there was "a lot of public discontentment" surrounding the council's bill.
"For us to engage in confidential on this matter excludes them [from] what we have heard all over the media, it's very contentious and it would have been very fair and democratic to discuss this in public."
Chadwick said she had made her ruling and there would be a public statement issued after the council's confidential discussion.
"I'm saddened that Councillor Bentley feels that way and has resigned."
Deputy mayor Dave Donaldson asked if the council would vote on moving the discussion into confidential, and Chadwick said it didn't need to.
"I've made a chair's ruling."
Councillor Reynold Macpherson said "very intense feelings" had been "generated" about the bill.
"For it to be moved into confidential will be regarded by ... "
He was then interrupted with points of order from Chadwick and Yates, with Yates saying it had already been ruled.
Chadwick said "thank you" to Yates.
The council meeting continued, with Chadwick later moving it into a public-excluded section.
Later,...
Peter Bentley resigned, effective immediately, in a public council meeting during a discussion about the council's controversial Māori wards bill, which was put on pause just hours later.
Other councillors have criticised the mayor's handling of the meeting.
Chadwick says she is "disappointed" Bentley quit, and takes exception to what she believes were "disrespectful" accusations he made about her.
In the full Rotorua Lakes Council meeting, Chadwick moved to include a confidential discussion about the Rotorua District Council (Representation Arrangements) Bill.
She said it was to "enable us all as council, together, to have a free and frank discussion in response to the attorney general's request for further information needed to develop policy work".
Attorney General David Parker last week found the bill would breach the Bill of Rights Act, but that more information may be needed for a full assessment.
Chadwick's motion drew a point of order from councillor Reynold Macpherson to ask if her motion could be discussed.
Chadwick said no, it was the chair's ruling.
"I have ruled."
Bentley then raised an urgent item not on the agenda.
Expressing his opinion, Bentley said: "The mayor found out very early that I would not be one to merely follow her and her radical and blatant racist ideas.
"Therefore, she has shunned me and not sought the practical advice I bring to this table."
Chadwick interrupted Bentley with a point of order, but he continued to speak as Chadwick again made a point of order and stood up.
Under standing orders for council meetings, when a chairperson stands during debate, members should sit down and be silent.
Bentley also stood and councillor Mercia Yates called a point of order to which he said: "Who's that?".
Chadwick, still standing, asked Bentley to "withdraw and apologise or leave the meeting".Bentley sat and said: "Well, my final statement, madam mayor -" before he was interrupted by Chadwick.
"No, there's no final say Councillor Bentley, I take exception to your ... "
Bentley continued to speak, saying: "I have no longer confidence in this council and thereby tender my resignation effective immediately."
Chadwick continued to speak as Bentley did, saying: "Councillor Bentley, I ask you to leave the meeting please, I've so ruled. Councillor Bentley, just leave the meeting."
Bentley: "I have resigned, madam mayor."
Chadwick: "Oh, well, there we are."
Macpherson shook Bentley's hand as he left the table saying, "ka kite, e hoa".
As Bentley left the council chamber, Chadwick said again she "took exception" to Bentley's remarks.
Councillor Raj Kumar said he believed there was "a lot of public discontentment" surrounding the council's bill.
"For us to engage in confidential on this matter excludes them [from] what we have heard all over the media, it's very contentious and it would have been very fair and democratic to discuss this in public."
Chadwick said she had made her ruling and there would be a public statement issued after the council's confidential discussion.
"I'm saddened that Councillor Bentley feels that way and has resigned."
Deputy mayor Dave Donaldson asked if the council would vote on moving the discussion into confidential, and Chadwick said it didn't need to.
"I've made a chair's ruling."
Councillor Reynold Macpherson said "very intense feelings" had been "generated" about the bill.
"For it to be moved into confidential will be regarded by ... "
He was then interrupted with points of order from Chadwick and Yates, with Yates saying it had already been ruled.
Chadwick said "thank you" to Yates.
The council meeting continued, with Chadwick later moving it into a public-excluded section.
Later,...
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