Editorial: Bust-up not a surprise

Rotorua Lakes Council

As in just about every part of life people agree and disagree. It's natural, and for the most part, it's healthy.

However, yesterday's bust-up in the Rotorua Lakes Council Chamber was not entirely unexpected.

Tensions among some councillors have been heightened recently by the division between those who chose to join the Rotorua Pro Democracy Society and other councillors who supported the controversial Te Arawa Partnership Proposal from the outset.

Yes, it's true that Rob Kent does not live in the district, and there is nothing wrong with that, according to the Local Government Act. Councillors are more than welcome to live anywhere in New Zealand they want to.

However, the mayor does have a point regarding whether Mr Kent is up with the play in the district.

But, Mr Kent is not the only councillor to have recently thrown his toys out of the cot. We can look back about 12 months to Mike McVicker who stood down from his economic development portfolio due to his concerns regarding the Te Arawa Partnership Proposal.

Councillor Charles Sturt has also been known to walk out of the occasional council meeting in a bit of a huff.

I know the mayor likes to run a tight ship and asks her councillors to work together for the good of the city.

But, in my opinion, the mayor cannot expect her councillors to agree with every one of her ideas and toe the party line.

Rotorua's council is not a political party caucus where members must agree and show a united front against the opposition.