Mayor joins protest against his own Council

Stuff reports:

Wellington City Council has no plans to evict and may provide toilets to protesters, some who are using a tent erected by Mayor Andy Foster on council land.

A one-man sentry at Shelly Bay became the starting point of an occupation on Sunday afternoon as four others joined Anaru Mepham, of the group Mau Whenua, at the Miramar peninsula site, where a $500 million development is planned.

Foster, Wellington’s Mayor, was on Sunday photographed braving a staunch wind as he helped erect a tent for protesters, who say they are ready to stay till March.

The land they chose to occupy was the same land that Wellington City Council earlier this month voted to sell and lease to developer Ian Cassels. The land deal is expected to be completed in the New Year, meaning Cassels could well take possession of occupied land.

This is appalling judgment by Foster. He put his best case to his colleagues and lost. They voted to continue to sell the land. To then go out and help setup an illegal occupation of the land is incompatible with being Mayor.

How can he expect his colleagues to have confidence with him, if he acts like this against a democratic decision of the Council?