During the forum, Mr Castel and the mayor repeatedly interrupted one another, leading Mr Castel to level the accusation of a ‘‘beat-up job’’ by Mr Martin when he spoke to the Otago Daily Times on Thursday. In a civil exchange, Mr Martin said he believed the matter was already satisfactorily resolved and no further explanation was required. Mr Castel took a different view, questioning the mayor’s fitness to lead and suggesting he should consider resigning. He said he had encouraged Mr Castel to attend the forum so all councillors could hear his concerns. We encourage residents to attend and speak at the public forum with any concerns and I admire those, like John, who step up.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 03, 2026 17:12 UTC