Former District Commander John Price accused of bullying, another foggy morning disrupts Auckland flights and Princess Anne sustains minor injuries. Video / NZ Herald
The mayor at the centre of an expletive-laden rant by a neighbouring councillor has hit back, saying she will not put up with abusive behaviour.
Waipā Mayor Susan O’Regan was insulted by Hamilton city councillor Andrew Bydder in his online submission over theplacement of a third bridge in Cambridge when Bydder wrote: “O’Regan – get off your fat arse and do your job”.
He also opened his submission, which is almost entirely redacted online, with: “What the f**k are you r******d s*****c c**ts doing?”
“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 for forgiveness.”
“We are a bunch of hardworking individuals trying to do our very best for our communities. We can either stand up and say that this is not okay or stay silent and accept this type of behaviour.
“What you choose to ignore you choose to accept. I do not accept Cr Bydder’s actions, and I encourage others not to either.”
O’Regan sent Southgate a screenshot of the submission and Southgate made a formal code of conduct complaint against Bydder on Friday.
Waipa Mayor Susan O'Regan. Photo / Dean Taylor
RNZ understands there are at least six complaints in total, including from four Waipā councillors and one Hamilton councillor.
But Bydder is doubling down while at the same time claiming to be the victim.
Bydder, a first-term councillor and architectural designer, said he was “clearly suffering from undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to years spent battling councils to issue building consents within 20 working days”.
“Every architectural designer knows this is true. Therefore I am the victim and the complainants are victim-bashing.”
Earlier, he said everyone had the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form.
“This is unequivocal. I have the right. Those councillors who complain about me are breaking the law. They can f**k off.”
He said the real question should be why he made his submission and claimed Waipā council had a history of not consulting properly.
“I have previously called out council staff [for] deliberately misleading the public on other matters. It is not a mistake. It is not incompetence. It goes way beyond that.”
He claimed Waipā had a poor track record of consultation and it was happening again with the proposed third bridge.
“It shows they are the ones who don’t give a f**k and insult the people.”
Bydder, who lives in Cambridge, said his submission was “necessary, reasonable, professional, practical and responsible” to bring about an attitude change.
