Accusations of “dirty politics” within the Queenstown Lakes mayoral campaign have surfaced in the past week, as three mayoral candidates have gone public over potential conflicts of interest.

The Wānaka App took a closer look at the issue and asked each of the candidates to outline their concerns.

Fellow mayoral candidates Glyn Lewers and Jon Mitchell have linked Olivia Wensley to a leaky building claim which is estimated to cost Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) ratepayers an additional $300 a year each. 

The claim is associated with a development company owned by Olivia’s in-laws and Glyn claims this creates a conflict of interest that would make it untenable for her to be mayor.

Olivia told the Wānaka App she’s “had enough”.

“This is a classic case of ‘dirty politics’ and it's a shame - this type of behaviour puts good people off from running for office,” she said.

Olivia said she intends to pursue legal action against both candidates after the election, saying they are “on the public record multiple times peddling misinformation”.

She was a 17-year-old in high school when the development project was started; in law school when it was finished, and “wouldn't meet my in-laws for another 10 years”, she said.

“The auditor general guidelines state that there is no pecuniary conflict, and any ‘perceived’ conflict can be easily managed.”

QLDC media spokesperson Sam White referred the Wānaka App to a raft of official guidance and requirements to which all current and future elected members would be accountable.

Sam said that incumbent mayor Jim Boult “has withdrawn from previous council meetings due to a declared conflict”.

Mayor Jim Boult has had to withdraw from council meetings due to conflicts of interest. PHOTO: Wānaka App

Declarations of conflicts of interest happen “reasonably frequently”, he added. 

“A pecuniary conflict of interest would require that person to leave the room during the agenda item in question. Other types of declared conflicts would only require that the person did not vote but they could stay in the room,” Sam said.

In a social media post this week, Glyn said a “conflicted” mayor or councillor would be expected to step aside from setting rates, choosing projects for the council’s work plan, being involved with a mitigation strategy, and more. 

“This is untenable, and in my view, the conflicted person would be unable to discharge their duty as a mayor or councillor,” he said. 

He told the Wānaka App yesterday (Thursday September 29) he stands by his comments, and added that perceptions of conflict must also be properly managed.

“The risk is not only to themselves but also to council decision-making because a decision can be challenged if the elected official took part in a discussion and voted with an undeclared or inappropriately managed conflict.”

Jon Mitchell also told the Wānaka App he stands by everything he has said about potential conflicts of interest during the campaign.  

“I am confident that all statements I have made are factually correct and consistent with applicable law. I have made no allegation about any candidate. Just because a candidate may be uncomfortable with factual critiques and their potential implications for council governance does not make them defamatory.”  

Jon said rather than use the legal approach to conflict of interest, he relied “instead on the broad approach explained in the guidance from the Office of the Auditor General”.

Jon added that the council’s Proposed Inclusionary Zoning Policy has significant implications for developers, and claimed “as Mrs Wensley's husband is a developer, and Mrs Wensley presumably has a beneficial interest in the fruits of his business activities, that represents another potential serious conflict of interest”. 

Olivia said Glyn is being supported by Queenstown business owners with an interest in increasing tourism numbers to pre-Covid levels, and they “have millions to lose if they can’t get their candidate in”.

“I represent change and the old guard are getting ugly. I’m seeing some pretty shady things going on and want to shine a light on them.

“It’s really sad it’s come to this and it’s bringing our region into disrepute. It’s a dignified position and we’ve got some candidates behaving in a very undignified way.

“I hoped at the outset there would be a good clean fight, and it’s been anything but,” she said.