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Home / New Zealand

Fox: Pakeha and letters ousted me

15 Oct, 2001 07:19 AM2 mins to read

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Derek Fox claims a letter-writing campaign contributed to his dumping from the Wairoa mayoralty.

A new-look Wairoa District Council would be dominated by "conservative rednecks" who would do nothing for Maori needs, Mr Fox said.

He also claimed the Pakeha vote gave the mayoralty to his deputy, Les Probert.

Mr Probert
said he was not into name-calling. He said the council was democratically elected, and with 58 per cent of the district's population Maori, it was clear many Maori had voted for the new councillors.

Mr Fox claimed the council had lurched towards conservatism and away from a progressive approach.

He partly blamed a series of anonymous letters in the Wairoa Star accusing him of being an absentee mayor, and he raised the issue of Mr Probert living outside the district - at Putorino, half way between Wairoa and Napier.

Mr Fox said locals had the impression he was a fat-salaried television executive, when in fact his recent appointment as chairman of the new Maori television service board paid well under six figures.

He was going away for a few days to mull his future, and start thinking about finding a job.

"I would like to thank all my supporters over the past 12 years I have been involved in local government. It has been a big part of my life."

Mr Fox was a Wairoa councillor for two terms before his two as mayor. The experienced broadcaster had also resigned from Mana Maori News Media, a news network he helped found 12 years ago.



Mr Probert said the council had Maori members, he had been on the Maori advisory standing committee and Maori had been involved in the district plan.

"I think it's a non-issue. People were obviously looking for a change and they have created that change."

He credited Mr Fox with helping to lift the profile of the district.

- NZPA

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