OPINION: While the mayor often seems confused about things, to say that he used his casting vote to retain the status quo on the sale of the Deveron St car park is stretching things even for him.

The status quo was that the city owned the car park.

Status quo hasn't got degrees and to stretch to saying that it was only a vote to endorse the fact that the council was in agreement to sell the car park, when in fact it was to vote to sell a major public asset without any attempt to ensure the best possible result for the public he is charged with representing, is ridiculous to the extreme.

This whole fiasco shows just how bad things have become around the council table and the lack of any integrity or desire to openly and honestly represent the best interests of the public as they have been elected to do.

Attempting to re-invent the meaning of words such as status quo would indicate that there is something to cover up.

No matter what the reason, the simple fact is that a good healthy council would not shove through a vote on such an important subject as the sale of a valuable inner-city public property when it's obviously failing to get the backing of the full council.

It appears discussions went on for several months and even then half the council was still unhappy.

This would indicate the decision is not sound and in this case a strategic public property has now been lost forever in the rush to get the deal done.

People need to ask why such a rush when a much better result may have been achieved by normal process such as public tender.

PHILIP TODD

Invercargill

- © Fairfax NZ News

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