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A Hamilton city councillor has written an offensive, expletive-laden rant to a neighbouring council.
He says he wrote it that way intentionally, to get the attention of Waipā Mayor, Susan O’Regan.
Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate has made a formal complaint about the conduct,which is set to be investigated by lawyers.
But councillor Andrew Bydder is unapologetic and says he stands by his comments, made in a submission to Waipā District Council over the placement of a third bridge in Cambridge, which asked: “What the f**k are you r******d s*****c c**ts doing?”
Bydder - who lives and pays rates in Cambridge - also wrote that outgoing Waipā chief executive Garry Dyet “better be sacked before he retires”.
“You have learned nothing from the dogs and the innovating street bulls**t,” Bydder wrote.
“You continue to lie and disrespect the public. Get on your knees and beg forgiveness. O’Regan - get off your fat a*** and do your job. Sack the entire staff.”
The submission on the proposed bridge placement in the Cambridge Connections project was so derogatory it was almost completely redacted in the public version, but RNZ obtained an unredacted copy.
‘The only way to get their attention’
Bydder confirmed to RNZ he wrote the submission that way intentionally.
“I say that it is the only way to get their attention so that they actually listen because being polite has no effect whatsoever. So I, in fact, say this is the professional way to do it.
“It is deliberate and under the same circumstances I will continue to repeat it because we need them to change.”
Asked about how this would affect his credibility Bydder said: “Saying get off your fat a*** might just get her (O’Regan) to realise there’s a problem and if that brings change then what I’ve done is a success.”
When asked if he was aware of a code of conduct complaint against him, Bydder said his council had no jurisdiction over the issue and if anyone had made a complaint, he would make one about them.
Bydder - an architectural designer who was elected to Hamilton City Council in late 2022 - was no stranger to controversial language, dropping the c-bomb in written correspondence before he was elected, about then-Hamilton council chief executive Richard Briggs.
Waipā Mayor Susan O'Regan.
Hamilton mayor horrified by submission
Southgate said O’Regan sent her a screenshot of the Waipā submission on Thursday and the mayor lodged a formal complaint on Friday.
She said she was horrified and as mayor it was her responsibility to uphold the highest standards in elected members.
“I find that use of language appalling. I think that behaviour from anybody, let alone a public person, is unprofessional. I can’t ignore it. It’s threatening, vulgar, abusive, disrespectful language.”
The complaint is now with the council’s independent lawyers and Southgate said she understood there may be further complaints pending.
There will be an investigation and councillors will decide Bydder’s fate but Southgate said while she could no longer participate because she had made the complaint, she didn’t think Bydder would lose his job.
However, she said it would be up to him if he wanted to resign.
