Fund campaign begging, Deputy-Mayor says

Press, 17 December 1985, Page 25

Fund campaign begging, Deputy-Mayor says

PA Auckland The legal defence fund for the Mayor of Waitemata, Mr Tim Shadbolt — which has raised nearly $BOOO in its first few days — has been described by the deputy-mayor, Mr Bob Stanic, as a begging campaign. Councillor Gary Taylor started the fund to raise up to $40,000 to cover Mr Shaabolt’s legal fees, incurred fighting a defamation action brought by the former Mayor, Tony Covic. But some of his fellow councillors are annoyed, because they say the mayor’s personal earnings are substantial, and Waitemata ratepayers and other New Zealanders should not have

to foot the bill. Mr Stanic said he was embarrassed as a member of the Waitemata City Council, and disgusted that someone with the title of Mayor should lower the dignity of the office by allowing funds to be solicited.

He said the Mayor had admitted earning $50,000 last year (in a magazine article) and $68,000 this year.

“He must be the highestearning beggar in the country.” Councillor Ron Manuel said he did not accept that Mr Shadbolt needed $40,000 from the public to pay his lawyers’ bills. He said even if the mayoral salary was deducted as income that Mr Shadbolt

used to support his family, he still had $40,000 to clear his $47,000 legal costs, and his $lO,OOO personal overdraft. After three days of advertising, $7988 had been contributed.

Mr Shadbolt said he had earlier paid $15,000 off his overdraft with some of his earnings from speaking engagements, but Mr Manuel said that still left a balance of $32,000, not $40,000, as was being sought Mr Shadbolt said he did not have any luxuries, the money had been swallowed up with living expenses. “I do not have a yacht or a secret bank account I don’t even know how much I earned myself. Everything is so rough,” he said.