Councillor Jack Bullock leads the charge in this respect. The first sign of such a mentality came with his announcing of a protest on Tuesday, calling upon his friends to "show the mayor people in our city don't and won't stand for using this gas chamber to put dogs down here any longer".
He then announced that the protest was cancelled due to impending discussions with HUHA animal rights group and the council. But still the undertones of conflict were maintained, with Cr Bullock telling supporters that they may still "step up action and change strategy" - a thinly veiled threat only confirmed by the wink face which followed it.
Appearing on a national news bulletin with messages that furthered this narrative was even more damaging. Cr Bullock described the council to the rest of New Zealand as being in "the stone age".
Such coverage is uncannily reminiscent of the national attention that Wanganui received regarding the sale of legal highs. Planning of protests and vilifying statements led by councillors Philippa Baker-Hogan and Bullock were the catalyst for the cameras turning their focus to Wanganui, once again painting our wonderful community as a divided and dysfunctional one on the national stage.
I am absolutely in support of those who believe gassing should be eradicated, as well as the right of individuals to protest about such issues. But elected officials should bear in mind the important balance of the city's reputation and the progress that can be made.
This is a case in which progress was possible without a drawn-out media circus twisting and moulding the issue for the purpose of viewership numbers at the expense of our city's national standing.
The only conclusion one can draw for Cr Bullock revelling in this media attention and oppositional strategy is that which underpins most personality politics: Political strategy. This is a councillor who wishes to claim this issue as his pet project, making himself its "champion" as he has stated.
Once the petition gained traction on social media, Cr Bullock published a press release stating that he had been and seen the gassing take place at the Wanganui pound last year, a process he went on to describe as "far from humane, a slow and lethal, cruel death" and "slow murder".
If Cr Bullock holds such personal moral opprobrium to the practice, why did he not "champion" the cause - or even raise the issue with the public - until after the petition had gained public support, rather than when he first learned of the practice last year.
The answer may be because only once it received such overwhelming public support did it become a useful political tool for him.
Such a strategy is damaging for the city. Such a strategy does little to assist the community in finding a resolution that is founded on empathy for all involved. It gives cause to be concerned that someone who aims to be Wanganui's future mayor sees this as the best way to resolve the city's issues.
James Penn is a former Wanganui High student now attending the University of Auckland. He was an unsuccessful council candidate at the local body elections.
