The mayor and councillors continue to learn about and discuss many important matters in workshops with the media and public excluded. He was not in favour of publicising the workshops or making them public because councillors could ask "stupid questions" and explore options which otherwise might not be viable. It is the so-called "stupid questions" that ordinary people and the public themselves ask and for which they want answers. Crucially, open council debate gives the public the chance to know how their councillors think, how they contribute and where they are coming from. It lessens public scrutiny and it exacerbates the disconnect between councils and the public.

Source: Otago Daily Times September 07, 2018 16:41 UTC