The Deputy Mayor Debate - Jack Ruben Responds

Dear Councillors
It is with some concern that I read of your behind the scenes ructions in the DominionPost of Friday 18th August and calls to depose the Deputy Mayor. It reminds me of a previous administration where every other day the appalling dysfunction of councillors, their inability to oversee civic affairs and their disastrous meetings were reported on in the media.

After that administration we all heaved a collective sigh of relief as it appeared the new mix of councillors had hammered out a working style for carrying out their elected job of overseeing improvements to benefit Wellingtonians without petty bickering in public.
Now it seems dysfunction threatens us once more because some councillors cannot cope with one of their number baiting them a bit more strongly than they like in, to use councillors own description, "the bear pit" of council meetings.

Now it is well known that Alick Shaw has a wide grasp of our language, masters a brief quickly and is not slow to use his flair for the dramatic to whip an opponent. However he has made a reasonable fist of the Deputy Mayorship and presumably was chosen by you for this based on those abilities.

The best we ask of you as a councillors is to recover your working style of recent years and get on with making more of the many excellent improvements instigated by the largely sensible Prendergast/Shaw administration that make Absolutely Positively Wellington an increasingly pleasure to live in.

Jack Ruben reponds

Thank you for your e-mail dated today.

As your email is somewhat similar to that received from another person not resident in our ward, I trust you will forgive me for forwarding my response to him as it will save me much time.
I take this opportunity to inform you that your email is only the second email I have received expressing similar opinions, whereas the opposite viewpoint has been conveyed to me by residents from right across the city - certainly by more than 50 people (so far) who have taken the trouble to do so.
I detect from the wording of your email that you have some idea of his personality and method of delivery of his opinions. Believe me, I am more than able to deal with any situation, but council meetings are not the venue for such behaviour.

My reply read as follows:
"Contrary to your last paragraph, the concerns about Mr. Shaw's policy and unacceptable behaviour are not engendered by some "personality-based putch". They are the culmination of 18 months of his divisive, ill-mannered, bullying conduct which a number of us are no longer prepared to tolerate.
In fact I wrote to Cllr. Shaw some time ago asking him to desist from such behaviour, but he has not. Do you want to see my email? I believe others have either written or spoken to him - or both.
We cllrs were elected to bring constructive policies to Wellington, even if we don't always agree with each other on individual policies. But we require respect and tolerance for someone else's viewpoint, not continual rude, arrogant and personal comments. Hence this latest step resultant on his totally unacceptable behaviour since his election.
I am not aware of how many council meetings you have attended this triennium, and witnessed cllr Shaw's aggressive and ill-mannered behaviour.
Perhaps you would let us all know.
I am not aware if you support his council- tenant rates policy, - in direct contradiction of the Labour Party policy on which he had just been elected. I don't imagine the Labour Party on whose 'ticket' he stood would approve either!
Nor do I know if you approve of loading more rates on the residents of Wellington, by reducing the commercial/residential differential rating.
Nor do I know if you approve of his support for destroying precious open space on the Waterfront by supporting ongoing buildings.
Nor do I know if you too support building an ugly hotel on the Outer-T, - privatising public land - permanently!
Nor do I know if you approved of him (successfully!) leading the campaign to close down the Mobile Library.
Nor do I know if you approve of cllrs Shaw, Armstrong, Ahipene-Mercer and Foster walking out of a council meeting, rather than vote to support an application for sick leave from a colleague (and fellow human being) who needed time off for her cancer treatment - chemotherapy and radiation. Is this the sort of representative you really want??
Nor do I know if you approve of his ratepayer-funded, Business Class (or was it First?) all expenses paid overseas 'jaunts' - or whatever you may choose to call them, .......etc, etc, ad nauseam!

I am replying to you out of courtesy as a Wellington City Councillor.
However, I have no doubt whatsoever that cllr Shaw will not be re-elected in
14 months time, (only scraping in by a mere 25 votes last time!!) nor will any ambitions he may have for the mayoralty be successful, - but that is not only my opinion. Time will tell.
But for the next 14 months, myself and a number of other councillors want a Deputy Mayor who will bring some dignity, cohesiveness, respect and conciliation and back to that office, not someone who has failed to live up to the expectations of very many Wellingtonians".