'Climate change crap' councillor booted out, mayor sticking to his guns
A councillor who calls climate change "a load of crap" has been booted out and the mayor is sticking to his guns. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue readingSave 30%All articles from our. . .
A councillor who calls climate change "a load of crap" has been booted out and the mayor is sticking to his guns. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue readingSave 30%All articles from our website& appThe digital version ofToday'sPaperAll otherin your areaCircular Head mayor Gerard Blizzard directed Cr Rodney Flowers to leave the council meeting on July 16. It followed Cr Flowers leaving his seat, going to the area where residents are allowed to ask questions of the council and saying he wanted to make a statement. A council meeting room and Circular Head councillor Rodney Flowers. Pictures Shutterstock and file"I'm a ratepayer; I've got a right to make a statement," Cr Flowers said. Cr Blizzard asked him to resume his seat and said he would ask him to leave the meeting if he did not. Cr Flowers repeated that he had a right to make a statement. He then asked if he could sit in the public area. "No, I'm asking you to leave the meeting," Cr Blizzard said. Cr Flowers walked out. Resident and intending mayoral candidate Melissa Wells objected. Cr Tony Hine later questioned the decision. "I chair the meeting," Cr Blizzard told him. The next day, Cr Flowers said, "It's got me beat. ""I was absolutely dumbfounded. "We are ratepayers and we should be entitled to make a statement. "It's shutting me up. "Cr Flowers said he did not intend to make a statement about anything in particular. He said he had wanted to prove his point that councillors should be allowed to make statements. Cr Blizzardsaid councillors had the opportunity to ask questions on notice or without notice, and they could weave statements into those while providing context. He said councillors had many opportunities to speak. Cr Blizzard said his understanding was councillors could not stop being councillors during a meeting. "I believe I'm pretty lenient," he said. Cr Blizzard said he had no idea what Cr Flowers wanted to make a statement about. He described climate change training for councillors as brainwashing. "They're ranting and raving about sea level rise," Cr Flowers said. "I've been here 61 years and I haven't seen sea level rise. "As it happensBreaking news alertBe the first to know when news breaks.