Rotorua’s Mayor Tania Tapsell has been criticised for the way she “shut down” the country’s longest-serving councillor as he tried to ask a question.
Māori ward councillor Trevor Maxwell says it’s part of the job to lick your wounds and carry on, but he was still left feeling “disappointed, frustrated and ashamed” by the interaction, and now regrets helping Tapsell “get on [the] council”.
Tapsell says she is disappointed herself by Maxwell’s comments, adding that wasting time talking about each other is an unnecessary distraction.
The exchange between the pair followed two councillors’ notices of motion being declined at last week’s Rotorua Lakes Council meeting.
One was councillor Lani Kereopa’s request to vote on calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, like other councils had.
Intended notices of motion are assessed by staff and the final say on whether they are heard is down to the chair of the meeting – in this case the mayor.
Oonagh Hopkins, council’s corporate planning and governance executive manager, assessed Kereopa’s notice and said it was not the council’s role to get involved in discussions around international affairs, especially conflict.
A more than 1000-signature supporting petition was also declined. Mataara Mai organised the petition and about nine group members attended the meeting.
Maxwell asked Hopkins, as an urgent item, if there had been a change in rules.
“I saw two legitimate notice of motions from councillor [Don] Paterson and councillor Kereopa ... "
Tapsell interrupted, repeating what she told councillors earlier that it did not fall under the criteria for an urgent item and the declined notices were “unfortunately not legitimate”.
Maxwell replied he had not seen that happen during his time at council.
After more back and forth the mayor said councillors were there to act in the best interests of Rotorua.
“Playing politics at the table when we’re here to get a job done is not being helpful to the community we serve.”
When he asked if he could get an answer from Hopkins, Tapsell interrupted.
Maxwell began to say he was disappointed, but was cut off with, “no, I call order”.
The pair continued to speak over the top of each other and Tapsell said Maxwell was being “disorderly”.
“I’m very sorry elected members I’m just going to have to call time for a short break until councillor Maxwell can contain himself,” Tapsell said.
The exchange ended when councillor Rawiri Waru suggested discussion move on and that they kōrero later.
Maxwell spoke to Local Democracy Reporting about the exchange after a social media post by Waiariki MP Rawiri Waititi calling out the mayor’s behaviour.
“I am appalled by the actions of Mayor Tania Tapsell during the Rotorua Lakes Council hui last week towards Councillor Trevor Maxwell and the Rotorua rōpū Mataara Mai.”
“Highly respected rangatira and councillor Trevor Maxwell, who is also Aotearoa’s longest-serving councillor, respectfully asked if there had been a change of rules regarding the notices of motion that were declined for Mataara Mai to be able to present.
“The way Mayor Tapsell conducted herself in response was unacceptable,” Waititi wrote.
Maxwell told LDR he was not a “social media aficionado” but was alerted by his daughters to “viral” posts about the exchange.
He said his mind had been elsewhere since the meeting after a death in the family, but said he was still “disappointed, frustrated and ashamed” by the exchange.
“One of my biggest regrets now, 10 years ago I helped Tania get on [the] council.”
Tapsell told LDR Maxwell had never been part of her campaign team.
Maxwell said councillors were entitled to ask questions but, in his view, he was “shut down” each time he tried.
He said he believed the notices of motion were legitimate and was genuinely seeking clarity on why they were denied as he had not seen it happen as often as it had during this council.
“I found it very demeaning.”
He said he had tried to speak as politely as possible.
“I’m still disappointed in the way she handled it.”
Maxwell said it seemed he could not express how he felt.
He said he had been a councillor long enough to know you win some, you lose some and it was the job to “lick your wounds and carry on”.
“I think Tania needs to look at the video and assess her own behaviour.”
Maxwell said he spoke with Tapsell following the meeting and expressed he felt she was wrong, and they had not spoken since.
In response to Maxwell’s and Waititi’s comments, Tapsell said the council had an important job to do and “wasting time talking about each other is an unnecessary distraction”.
“I remain focused on delivering for the community and creating a better Rotorua for all.”
She said she was disappointed in Maxwell’s comments as she thought they had moved on following their post-meeting chat.
Councillors were told a week before the meeting the notices were declined, she said.
“I even reminded them they’re welcome to ask questions or be provided with any information and advice they needed to understand this.
In her opinion: “Raising it on the day in such a disorderly manner was a distracting political statement that hasn’t helped anyone.”
Tapsell said despite criticism she also received messages of support.
It was not the first time Tapsell and Maxwell had butted heads in a meeting, with an exchange over appointments and Christmas dinner making headlines in 2022.
Laura Smith is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. She previously reported general news for the Otago Daily Times and Southland Express, and has been a journalist for four years.
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.