A city councillor who once endorsed the mayor of Invercargill is now calling for his resignation.
This week, Mayor Nobby Clark made headlines after the details of a second code of conduct complaint were made public.
The complaint alleged poor behaviour from Clark at a United Fire Brigades’ Association (UFBA) prize giving in March,
where he was a guest of honour alongside his partner.
Included in the allegations were claims he called volunteer firefighters second class citizens, verbally attacking the
MC, and disparaging young people in authority.
Clark has since apologised, but maintained some of his behaviour was not as described.
Councillor Ian Pottinger believes the mayor should step down in the wake of the information released on Tuesday evening.
“My opinion is that you commit the crime, which is bringing disrepute to Invercargill, and really an apology of any sort
won’t cut the mustard,” Pottinger said.
“The only fix is basically to fall on your sword and resign.”
The request marks a dramatic change of direction from Pottinger, who in 2022, put his own mayoral aspirations aside to
throw his support behind Clark.
The five-term councillor said his endorsement was a matter of options available at the time.
“At that stage we obviously seemed to be reasonably on the same platter.”
Speaking to Local Democracy Reporting, Pottinger also claimed the mayor was undertaking a soon-to-be-announced “cabinet
reshuffle” which would see him lose his role as chair of the council’s infrastructure committee as part of a merge.
Asked if things were now frosty between the pair, he laughed.
“No comment. We’ve got different views on life.”
On Thursday, Southland Business Chamber also called for the mayor’s resignation.
The chamber said in a media statement that Clark’s actions showed a “troubling trend” that did not align with the
community.
It highlighted racially and sexually insensitive language from the mayor at an Arts Foundation tour, and again on
national television.
Chamber chief executive Sheree Carey said Clark stepping down would be “the most responsible course of action”.
First term councillor Steve Broad said Clark’s recent behaviour was below the honour and privilege of the role.
“As each councillor makes their decision I’d also ask the mayor to ask himself whether he is medically or otherwise fit
to carry that honour at the moment.”
The mayor’s appearance on satirical news show New Zealand Today saw him repeat a racial slur he had been criticised for
using at the arts event, and formed the basis of a separate code of conduct complaint by councillors Pottinger and Ria
Bond which is still ongoing.
Clark's actions at the UFBA event will be discussed at an extraordinary council meeting on Friday afternoon.
He did not wish to comment on the requests for his resignation.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air