An investigation found Waikato councillor Fred Lichtwark abused colleagues, but he won't take an anger management course, calling it a "slur".
Didn t have the guts. - Suspended councillor s final complaint revealed
2 Mar, 2021 07:32 AM
4 minutes to read
Waikato Regional councillor Fred Lichtwark said he was punished for challenging the council s governance processes. Photo / Supplied
Waikato Regional councillor Fred Lichtwark said he was punished for challenging the council s governance processes. Photo / Supplied
Herald reporter based in HamiltonNikki.Preston@nzme.co.nz
A suspended councillor accused a colleague of not having the guts to talk to him in person and being a dirty politician - it was the third and final complaint made about his abusive behaviour.
But ostracised Waikato Regional councillor Fred Lichtwark told the Herald the whole investigation was an example of how to get shafted when you fall out of favour after he challenged councillors about the council s governance processes.
Supplied Waikato Regional councillor, Pamela Storey, was cornered by Fred Lichtwark in a car park after a meeting. Reports released by the council show Hardaker found Lichtwark fully in breach of the code for his actions towards fellow Waikato councillor Pamela Storey, and accepted Storey s version of events. She found Lichtwark breached the code of conduct partially for the two other complaints. Storey said Lichtwark followed her in a Huntly car park, yelling do we have a problem? because she had not been responding to recent attempts to contact her. His voice and arms were raised, Storey said, and when she told him she had to go, he was shouting if that s the way you want to play it, things will get a whole lot worse for you .
Waikato Regional councillor suspended from council meetings over angry and abusive behaviour
11 Feb, 2021 12:03 AM
4 minutes to read
Waikato Regional Councillor Fred Lichtwark has had his membership from most council committees suspended. Photo / Supplied
Waikato Regional Councillor Fred Lichtwark has had his membership from most council committees suspended. Photo / Supplied
Herald reporter based in HamiltonNikki.Preston@nzme.co.nz
A Waikato Regional councillor has been suspended from attending committee meetings over angry and abusive behaviour.
The council held an emergency meeting this morning and voted in favour of second-term councillor Fred Lichtwark being suspended from all committees, subcommittees and other representative roles until August 31, when the suspension will be reviewed.