Getting handle on potential conflicts

L e t t e r

Lifelong Friend: Mahurangi resident Cluny Macpherson first visited the harbour as a child, a chum of Mike Vine whose father farmed in Lagoon Bay. Cluny has longstanding teaching and research interests in Oceania and reviewed Vaka Moana in the January 2007 Mahurangi Magazine.

As one who encouraged you to stand for Rodney District Council, it seemed to me that the best reason for having you elected was to have a committed advocate for the harbour and its catchment in that body.

As a councillor, I believed you could use your very considerable knowledge of the harbour and its health to ensure that these matters were well understood in council and its committees, and reflected in council policy.

However, your possible candidacy raised questions about potential conflicts of interest between your role as an advocate for the harbour and your role as a councillor with a rather broader mandate.

I have confidence in your ability to manage these potential conflicts of interest and expect that you have thought your way through these.

Your determination to not use the Mahurangi Magazine for electioneering is respected. However, I have sought and obtained the support of the executive to persuade you to set out your thoughts on these matters.

I appreciate that, earlier, you canvassed your intention to stand with Friends of the Mahurangi to ensure that the membership was entirely comfortable with you continuing as secretary, were you successful in being elected.

Regardless, I think it would be helpful to members, and to others who are making up their mind on candidates, if you could take a moment to explain how you would handle these issues.