Wellington city councillors told off for picking on each other

Things got personal when Wellington city councillors discussed green waste and kerbside collection this morning. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Wellington city councillors have been lectured about not picking on each other after a committee meeting this morning got personal.

Councillor Iona Pannett was the main target of jibes made across the table as she and her colleagues considered a Parking Policy Review.

The Green Party ticket councillor is known for not holding back on voicing her left-leaning views during debate, but some councillors feel they're being preached at.

Councillor Diane Calvert made the point during the meeting that she had to pay for her green waste to be picked up because the council had failed to initiate its own kerbside collection.

"And who was the councillor responsible for waste management?", she taunted.

Pannett fired back "I find that a bit offensive".

They were cut off by Strategy and Policy Committee chair Jill Day.

"Let's not attack people. We deal with the issues not the people, it's really important it's something we've managed to do for a long time and we need to keep doing that", Day lectured.

Pannett defended her record and pointed to a food waste collection trial being rolled out this year, which was her initiative.

"I will remind you I was the only councillor to oppose the expansion of the Southern Landfill. I was happy to pay the cost of putting our waste somewhere else until we sorted our systems out."

Councillor Nicola Young took that opportunity to take a swipe at Pannett's "two incomes".

Pannett spends 30 hours a week in her role as chief executive of Birthright New Zealand.

Young has previously said that do the job properly, councillors could not have any other major paid commitments.

Day again reminded her colleagues about "respectful politics".

"We talk about people not engaging with politics and actually from my perspective, this is the exact stuff that put me off standing in the first place and being interested.

"Because I don't want to hear people picking on other people for various things that they do I'd rather hear people talking about the issues."

Later in the meeting Calvert effectively told councillors to toughen up.

"We are debating, and if you think this is pretty tough debate, you should see Parliament."

Day shot back and said she didn't think Parliament was a standard they wanted to match.

Pannett did find a friend in her more right-leaning colleague councillor Sean Rush.

The pair don't see eye to eye on many issues and today wasn't any different, but after saying he couldn't support Pannett's amendments Rush whispered to her "but I love you" not realising his microphone was still on.

Pannett then referred to Rush as her BFF as she picked apart his amendments.

At the end of the meeting Foster told councillors they needed to reflect on what they say and how they say it.

"Some of the language and the tone that was used in the discussion today has obviously upset a few people but I'm not going to point fingers at anybody individually."