Stoush over Grey Power leadership

Marlborough Grey Power president Colin Murray's leadership has been challenged by members of his own executive committee just one month after he was elected unopposed.

A defiant Mr Murray said last night he would not stand down.

The squabble erupted after group vice-president Maureen Bennett called a vote of no confidence in Mr Murray's leadership at an emergency committee meeting yesterday.

He has been accused of being too political.

Four of the eight committee members at the meeting said they did not have confidence in Mr Murray, while one each abstained or said they supported Mr Murray, Mrs Bennett said when approached by The Marlborough Express.

She was unsure which way Mr Murray and another member had voted as the no-confidence motion "reached an impasse" and she and three others walked out.

Mr Murray said he was unable to vote because those against him were "so unruly I couldn't keep any order".

"These ladies are in the process of making complete fools of themselves but they will be given the opportunity to justify themselves at the next meeting."

Mrs Bennett said she called the vote after Mr Murray threatened to resign when she confronted him last week, saying members were concerned about some of his public comments. The members were not happy with comments Mr Murray had made in letters and a Grey Power newsletter published in the Express and The Saturday Express, she said.

"Nothing he's said has anything to do with Grey Power. He's going against the Government, but Grey Power is apolitical. He's using Grey Power as a vehicle for his own personal agenda and propaganda."

Mr Murray stood up when confronted and said he would resign until another committee member urged him to sit down, Mrs Bennett said.

He walked out when the discussion continued, she said.

Mrs Bennett said she was taking legal advice on what to do next.

Mr Murray last night denied making political statements.

"I don't think [Mrs Bennett and her supporters] understand what the word apolitical means."

The women had broken Grey Power rules by raising issues over previous unanimous decisions, which he would not reveal, and not giving him the letter about his comments from a member.

Instead, he had been ambushed, Mr Murray said.

He had not said he would resign, but rather that he would reconsider his position, he said.

"I reconsidered it. They called a special meeting. They lost out and they come rushing to the newspaper ... somebody's going to end up with egg on their face and they want that person to be me. I don't intend to wear that."

He had the confidence of "the ones [members] that count" but would not comment when asked how many members counted.

Grey Power New Zealand Federation vice-president Roy Reid said the dispute was "disappointing", but was an internal matter for Marlborough Grey Power.

- The Marlborough Express