A Dunedin city councillor says he is not a safety risk and an increased presence of security guards \u2018\u2018stationed specifically\u2019\u2019 for him is a waste of resources.<\/p>\n
Cr Benedict Ong\u2019s comments come as the council appears to have increased security since the start of the year, with two security guards regularly at meetings compared with one previously.<\/p>\n
The council would not be drawn on for any reason for changes to security, but Cr Benedict Ong said it was because of him.<\/p>\n
In a social media post on Wednesday, Cr Ong said the security guards were stationed at meetings for the express purpose of removing or barring him.<\/p>\n
He planned to continue lobbying staff on his \u2018\u2018innovative debt structuring\u2019\u2019, assuming the guards were not used on him.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018This follows the pattern of falsehood attacks against me [including] false and defamatory claims of accosting staff.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
He believed the guards were stationed at the instruction of either Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker or council chief executive Sandy Graham.<\/p>\n
Ms Barker said security had been at council meetings for a \u2018\u2018number of years and is quite normal\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018I do not and am not able to instruct security. That is an operational matter.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Cr Ong told the\u00a0Otago Daily Times\u00a0he had spoken to two security guards at a non-public meeting on Monday \u2014 they had told him \u2018\u2018they are stationed specifically for me\u2019\u2019, Cr Ong said.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018This is taking them away from where they truly need to be \u2014 to serve our community dedicatedly as they have always done.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Typically and for several years, the\u00a0ODT\u00a0has observed one guard at council meetings.<\/p>\n
Security was regularly present, a council spokesman said.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018Exact arrangements vary depending on the nature of the meeting and expected public interest.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
He said information about associated costs was not available.<\/p>\n
The council did not respond to further questions on Cr Ong\u2019s comments, meeting security, or the health and safety and code of conduct investigations Cr Ong was the subject of.<\/p>\n
Ms Graham restricted Cr Ong\u2019s access within the Civic Centre last month.<\/p>\n
She said it was needed to put temporary measures in place to ensure a safe work space for staff following concerns about Cr Ong\u2019s conduct.<\/p>\n
Measures would be reviewed after a health and safety assessment was completed.<\/p>\n
Cr Ong disagreed these were required and later posted on social media a video of himself with duct tape over his mouth walking through the Civic Centre.<\/p>\n
The next day, Ms Barker stripped him of his portfolio role, council appointments and barred him from some informal meetings over \u2018\u2018extremely disrespectful\u2019\u2019 behaviour towards her and his refusal to remove disparaging comments online about Ms Graham.<\/p>\n
He was escorted from a meeting that morning with self-imposed tape over his mouth.<\/p>\n
His conduct is also being investigated by a barrister over an email he sent last month about a staff member.<\/p>\n