Miccio abuses Council privileges

The Nelson Mail reports:

Nelson mayor Aldo Miccio has been found in breach of election rules and received a ticking off from the electoral officer.

A complaint was made by Gaire Thompson about how Mr Miccio obtained email addresses and why campaign material headed Miccio4mayor was sent with its mailing address as 110 Trafalgar St which is the city council’s Civic House.

The use of the Council address as his campaign address is not that serious, but is very stupid. What was he thinking.

But the more serious issue is this:

Mr Thompson said he had never opted to receive the email sent to him by the mayor’s campaign team.

However, he had given his email address at the consultation meeting held last week at the council chambers on the council’s proposed sale of Wakatu Square land for the development of a building for a new Farmers store.

He gave it so the council could send updates on the consultation.

Mr Thompson attended as he owns the Trafalgar St property of the existing Farmers store.

His wife and several others who attended the consultation also received the Miccio4mayor email, he said. …

Council staff had collected the email addresses at the Uniquely Nelson event at the council chamber in case of any follow up, said Mr Miccio.

“That week we were doing a newsletter on the Farmers proposal, I thought because of the number of questions it would be useful to get the information to those people.”

He said he was given the list and sent the newsletter to those people.

“Would I do the same thing again? I probably would,” he said.

“I don’t see it as being a major issue.

This is outrageous.  If he was a commercial operation, he would be in breach of the spam act. As it stands I believe Miccio and the Council are in breach of the Privacy Act as they are using private information not for the purpose it was given.

What is disturbing is the Mayor says he would do it again.

It is totally inappropriate for e-mail addresses given to the Council for a Council purpose, be given to the Mayor for him to use for his private campaign. That is appalling. It is using ratepayer resources to advantage the incumbent.

Hat Tip: Whale Oil