City council has ‘blood on their hands’

Sir Tim Shadbolt’s partner has taken the opportunity to fire some barbs at the council during the former mayor’s funeral.

Yesterday, Asha Dutt told those gathered at Invercargill’s Civic Theatre the city council of 2019 had “blood on their hands”.

Sir Tim’s final term at the helm was marked by numerous difficulties, including a scathing independent review, issues with deputies and visible mental lapses.

Speaking at the end of the service, Ms Dutt said she wanted to highlight how awful Sir Tim’s final term had been.

“He would walk into that council every day knowing that he didn’t have a single friend. And he didn’t,” Ms Dutt said.

“They would sit around in chairman’s meetings and they would be dismissive of him and put him down in front of him.

“Can you imagine those coward punches to his feelings and his soul?”

She said she had asked some people not to attend the service, and felt the “pinnacle undermining” of Sir Tim was when he was told to pack up his office long before the election.

“So, in my heart, the council of 2019 have blood on their hands. That’s the shot I want to fire. Tim would be proud.

“How he exited his career is a shame on you.”

Ms Dutt’s comments were met with support.

She also shared some insight into how Sir Tim approached being a mayor, saying he had adopted a persona because it got attention and was better received.

Early video clips showed him to be a deeply serious, thoughtful man, she said.

“I sometimes wish he had remained this version of himself, but I know the persona helped him to move people and it was a necessary vehicle.”

Sir Tim died on January 8, aged 78.

• LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.