Cr Ong said he was escorted out of the meeting by Crs John Chambers, Doug Hall, Mickey Treadwell and Andrew Simms. Cr Ong accepted the letter, placed it back on the table, took a photo, and was then asked to leave. "Cr Ong is now a serious impediment to the council — both reputationally and operationally. Cr Ong disputed this and he posted on social media a video of himself with duct tape over his mouth. Cr Ong earlier in the term complained about the conduct of Cr Chambers, but this was dismissed as being without substance.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 20, 2026 15:34 UTC