War of words between Baker and Brown

Drink-driving and corruption allegations are the latest bullets being fired between Far North mayor Wayne Brown and district councillor Tom Baker.

Mr Baker lodged a
code of conduct complaint against Mr Brown in December. He accused the mayor of excluding councillors not on his Value For Ratepayers
team from decision making.

Last week he sent an eight-page statement to the media accusing the mayor of using his position for financial gain after Mr Brown accused him in a newspaper of driving while drunk.

"I note this is not alleged, but a positive statement that I was driving home from a council function while heavily intoxicated," says Mr Baker.

"I consider this to be a very defamatory statement."

He says Mr Brown breached council standing orders last May when councillors decided whether to extend the remission period for uniform charges on subdivisions from three to six years.

"Because of his pecuniary interests as a property developer, Mr Brown should not have taken part in this debate or voted on this resolution."

Councillors voted not to extend the period, but overturned the resolution the next day after discussing the meeting over drinks in the mayor’s office.

"I was interested to hear Mr Brown complain to his team members that they had cost him a lot of money."

Mr Baker calculates that extending the remission period will save Mr Brown up to $12,690 a year in uniform charges at his Alderton
Park development in Kerikeri.

"It should be noted that Alderton Park is only one of Mr Brown’s subdivision projects."

Mr Brown says the Office of the Auditor General investigated the matter last year after a complaint was lodged by an unknown person.

He says the Auditor General found no wrong-doing, a claim Northern News has verified with the complainant who received a letter from the office after its inquiry.

"The suggestion that Steve McNally and I can’t vote because we own commercial property is nonsense. You have to be a ratepayer to be elected
to council," says Mr Brown.

Councillors overturned the resolution because they realised that extending the period would be good for economic growth, he says.

"It’s also about not changing the rules on long-term investments that developers are committed to."

Mr Brown abstained from voting when councillors overturned their decision because he knew Mr Baker would accuse him of using his position for personal gain.

"If I do anything it’s for my benefit. That’s all he can see."

He accuses Mr Baker of consistently voting

in favour of policies that increase
the cost of commercial rates.

- © Fairfax NZ News