Murray Chong's ute was hit by a single shot fired at it while parked outside his house on Thursday night. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
A gun has been fired at the distinctive orange ute of a controversial New Plymouth councillor leaving it pock-marked, as the Māori wards debate begins to heat up in the city again.
Murray Chong campaigned against the introduction of a Māori ward and yesterday abstained on a vote on whether or not the council should retain its Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa Māori Ward.
The council voted to keep the seat, following legislation passed last week that required local authorities that had introduced a Māori ward without a poll to scrap it, or to hold a poll. A binding poll will now be held alongside the 2025 local body elections.
Fighting back tears, Chong told a two-thirds full council chamber "don't shoot the messenger" before saying that he would not be fronting any resistance to a Māori ward next year because he feared for his safety.
"I won't be saying anything because I believe you've won. You've won because of the tactics I've received over the past five years.
"I'm now scared. I've had my life threatened several times in letters. I now can't walk by myself at night because I've been told I will be king-hit and I'll wake up in a hospital. I've had people say they will grab my dog, chop it up into quarters and leave it on my doorstep. I've had my daughter hassled."
Murray Chong Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Chong said he was used to people yelling obscenities at his house as they drove past, but last week "something even more disgusting [happened]".
"I don't even want to say it. It's a whole other level and now I'm really worried," he said without elaborating .
During a break, he told RNZ his ute had been hit by a single shot fired at it while parked outside his house on Thursday night.
"It was just a drive-by on my property and the police are looking at that, but it's another level. I get abused by people driving by. Most people know where I am on a main road. I'm quite used to that but this is a whole other level.
"It was only a slug gun, but it's still a firearm and it definitely left marks."
Mayor Neil Holdom said he had seen evidence the Chong's vehicle had been shot at.
"I think it is appalling. I think it is a reflection of behaviour across the country of aggressive, increasingly aggressive behaviour towards council elected representatives. We've seen what's happened in Nelson with the former mayor coming home to find someone with a nail gun on her property."
Holdom said when people could no longer have an argument about political differences without resorting to violence it was a failure of society.
"I just urge people to contain themselves and contain this aggressive this streak that's coming out in our politics as our society sort of disaggregates into what seems a very polarised view that there is one side versus the other as opposed to there are differing views and we've got to land in the middle."
A closer look at the damage. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa Māori Ward councillor Te Waka McLeod said shooting at Chong's car was not on.
"Any abuse to any of our councillors is not on and I think he's got cameras so I'm not sure if they can actually pick up who that was, but I wouldn't sort of point to a certain demographic of people. It could be anybody. Ultimately nobody should be getting abuse."
Earlier, she had been celebrating the decision to retain a Māori ward.
"As New Plymouth District Council we have come to a place where have come to a place where they see value at having Māori sitting at the table, so today was a success."
McLeod was optimistic the result of the last poll on Māori wards in New Plymouth - in which 83 percent of those that took part voted against it - could be turned around.
"I hope that with the 18 months we've got to work on this we can as a community and those that support the Māori ward we can educate those that are either sitting on the fence or are a 'no' and kind of give them hope."
That would require a communications strategy to combat disinformation attempting to scare people into thinking a Māori ward was something that it was not, McLeod said.
Police said they had received a report of wilful damage and were making enquiries.
