Lee Vandervis. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
- Dunedin City Councillor Lee Vandervis is standing behind his comments about Māori that breached the council's Code of Conduct, while apologising for causing offence.
- The complaint was made by councillor Marie Laufiso last year over what she called the use of inflammatory language and attempts to diminish the standing of mana whenua.
- In a meeting last month, the council demanded he formally apologise by 20 August or face further consequences. He emailed his apology before the council's deadline, but some councillors say it is not a real apology and the council should take further action.
- Vandervis objects to claims he is racist and says attempts were made to coerce him into an apology.
- Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich says he is pleased Vandervis has apologised and he expected they could all just move on as it met the council's requirement.
A Dunedin City councillor says he is apologising for causing offence, but not for making comments about Māori that breached the council's Code of Conduct.
The complaint against Lee Vandervis was made last year by another councillor after he refused to participate in Te Pae Māori meetings and referred to mana whenua representatives on two council committees as undemocratic.
An investigation found he breached the Code and the Dunedin City Council upheld the finding, demanding he formally apologise or face further actions.
An emailed apology was sent less than hour before the council's deadline to members of Te Pae Māori and others.
In it, councillor Lee Vandervis unreservedly apologised for causing offence, saying it was never his intention.
"Whether they accept it or not is irrelevant under the Code of Conduct. All that it asks for is that an apology be offered, which I have done," Vandervis said.
"I don't make insincere apologies. That's why I have apologised only for causing offence. I don't apologise for anything that I have said or any of the complaints made in the 4090 word Code of Conduct complaint made against me."
Attempts were made to coerce him into an unreserved apology by threatening to remove him as chair of a council committee which added close to $14,000 to his salary, he said.
None of what he said was racist and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act provided him with all the defence he needed against the accusations in the Code of Conduct complaint, he said.
"Utterly object to any claims of racism. They've called me a misogynist and they've called me a bigot. I've been in politics now for 20 years, I've had it all. It seems like they're going through the list and now they've ticked off racism. I just wonder what they'll throw at me next." Vandervis said.
Councillor Jim O'Malley said it wasn't a real apology.
"I don't think he's apologised, and we need to go to the next level.
"I will stand by my original statements and I don't think he's exhibiting the right characteristics to be chair of a committee."
Councillor Marie Laufiso - who made the complaint - said she viewed the email, while legally acceptable, as a Clayton's apology.
Mayor Jules Radich was glad he had apologised.
"I was very pleased because otherwise it was going to, you know, open up a whole bunch of argument," he said.
The apology counted even if it was for causing offence, not for what was said, Radich said.
"There was no splitting hairs or definitions in the request for an apology. It was like a request, straight out request for an apology. An apology was provided."
Radich said he expected they could all just move on with the goal of behaving to a higher standard.
"He has also proffered an explanation of some of the things that he's said, so it's very clear. You know he believes in his right to free speech so that, naturally, is his belief."
The Dunedin City Council said the Code of Conduct process has concluded as external legal advice confirmed the apology met its requirements.
