Wikipedia

Nobby Clark (politician)

William Stuart "Nobby" Clark (born 1951 or 1952)[1] is a New Zealand politician, serving as the Mayor of Invercargill since 2022. He has also served on the Invercargill City Council since 2019 and as deputy mayor since 2020.

His Worship the Mayor
Nobby Clark
44th Mayor of Invercargill
Incumbent
Assumed office
8 October 2022
Preceded byTim Shadbolt
Personal details
Born1951 or 1952 (age 72–73)
Nelson, New Zealand

Early life and career

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Clark was born in Nelson and moved to Auckland after leaving school. He served as a medic during the Vietnam War,[1] and subsequently moved to Invercargill in 1975.[2] He has been described as a blue collar worker and worked at Oranga Tamariki, Stopping Violence Southland, and the IHC New Zealand.[3]

He was employed by Idea Services the company owned by IHC, until he was sacked as their Southland regional manager. He initially lost a wrongful dismissal case,[4] but on appeal won $15,500 compensation and repayment of costs. [5]

First term, 2019–2022

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Prior to being elected to council in 2019, Clark was spokesman of the Invercargill Ratepayers Advocacy Group.[3] He was the highest polling Invercargill city council candidate in 2019, with 10,802 votes.[6] He was selected by mayor Tim Shadbolt to be deputy mayor on 12 October 2020, following the resignation of Toni Biddle.[7] Following clashes with Shadbolt, Clark announced his intention to resign as deputy in March 2022, but was eventually convinced to stay on.[8]

2022 Invercargill mayoral election

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On 30 May 2022, Clark announced his candidacy for the 2022 Invercargill mayoral election.[9] In June, he announced the formation of a group of ten council candidates he would run alongside. The group mostly consists of new candidates, though incumbent councillor Allan Arnold was among them.[6][10] This ticket was revealed in July to be called "Let's Go Invercargill".[11]

On 8 October, Clark won the Invercargill mayoral election, winning 6,537 votes. The incumbent Shadbolt only won 847 votes while the second-highest candidate Newstalk ZB broadcaster Marcus Lush won 3,785 votes.[12]

Mayor of Invercargill, 2022–present

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Inauguration and leadership style

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Following his election as Mayor, Clark announced that he would focus on opposing the Government's Three Waters reform programme, building a new museum in Invercargill and reviewing project spending.[13] He also detailed plans to cut $50 million from the city's $115 million budget.[14] He stated that he would not wear the mayoral robes and would not be addressed as "Your Worship" as his predecessor had.[15] On 14 October, he appointed newly-elected councillor Tom Campbell as his deputy.[16]

On 1 November, Clark attempted to remove the speaking rights of mana whenua representatives at full council meetings, as they did not have voting rights. This proposal was defeated in a council vote.[17][18]

2023 N word controversy

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Clark made national headlines in March 2023 for his use of the word nigger in a speech at an arts event, and again while defending his actions to the media. He argued that he was questioning the line between artistic expression and hate speech in response to a controversial poem by Tusiata Avia.[19][20][21][22] Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon called on him to apologise and Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson called on him to resign. Clark responded by calling for Foon to resign instead, for not investigating Avia for alleged hate speech.[23]

The incident was covered in an episode of New Zealand Today in March 2024, during which Guy Williams attempted to convince Clark not to use the word. Clark repeated the word and forced Williams to say it before he would promise to stop. Clark said that "I don't feel I need to learn and improve" and subsequently stormed out of the interview. He subsequently returned to the interview with a book challenging mainstream historical interpretations of the Treaty of Waitangi and co-governance.[24][25] This drew criticism from acting Race Relations Commissioner Saunoamaali'i Karanina Sumeo and Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins,[26] and code of conduct complaints from councillors Ian Pottinger and Ria Bond.[27]

On 23 July 2024, an independent investigation found that he had breached the code of conduct on four counts.[28][29] At an extraordinary meeting on 26 July 2024, the council voted again to censure Clark and request a further apology.[30][31] On 30 July, Clark issued a public apology for breaching the Council's code of conduct by making racist and homophobic slurs along with "insulting and degrading behaviour" during the New Zealand Today television interview.[32]

Criticism of government media funding

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In early June 2023, the Otago Daily Times reported that Clark had criticised the Government's Public Interest Journalism Fund (PIJF) during a New Zealand Taxpayers' Union "Hands Off Our Homes" meeting at Invercargill's Workingmen's Club, where he was a guest speaker. Clark claimed that the PIJF limited critical media coverage of Māori and prioritised Māori perspectives, issues and interests. Clark's allegations were disputed by University of Otago media studies lecturer Dr Olivier Jutel, who contended that the PIJF was integral to regional and Māori journalism.[33]

2023 Julian Batchelor tour

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In late June 2023, Clark attracted media attention after hosting a talk in Invercargill by controversial Stop Co-Governance Tour organiser Julian Batchelor, who has drawn criticism for allegedly promoting disharmony against Māori. During Batchelor's talk, Clark gave a speech stating that he did not speak the Māori language by choice, claiming that Māori were "being given more power than they should have," and objecting to the Government's co-governance and Three Waters policies.[34] In addition, Clark expressed opposition to the Public Interest Journalism Fund, "cancel culture," mana whenua representatives on the City Council, and the alleged "bastardisation of the English language" through the incorporation of Māori words.[35] Clark drew criticism for his views and support for Batchelor from several local Māori leaders including Waihōpai Rūnaka kaiwhakahaere Cyril Gilroy, Mana whenua Hine Ruaporo, Ōraka Aparima, public health worker Karina Davis-Marsden for allegedly promoting racial division in Invercargill.[34]

Response to crime

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In early April 2024, Clark called for a public meeting on 6 April to address rising youth crime in Invercargill including vehicle thefts, burglaries, assaults, and death and rape threats against ICC councillors, business owners and their partners. He called for tougher consequences against youth offenders.[36] Labour Member of Parliament (MP) Ingrid Leary disagreed with Clark's calls for youth offenders to be treated as adult offenders. Meanwhile, Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds reiterated the Government's policy of combating youth crime but said that local Police had told her youth offending in Invercargill "was no worse than elsewhere in the country, but that a small number of young locals were causing most of the issues."[37]

On 6 April, Clark hosted a three hour meeting at Invercargill's Civic Threatre where civic leaders heard community feedback and discussed solutions to the city's crime problems. Victims of crimes including local business owners and former perpetrators shared their stories including ram raids and organised shoplifting. During the meeting, Clark and local Police area commander Mike Bowman discussed efforts to combat crime including a new security camera system worth NZ$2.2 million. Notable attendees including Invercargill MP Simmonds and lawyer Peter Redpath, who advocated rehabilitative and "wrap around" approaches to combating youth crime.[38]

United Fire Brigades' Association code of conduct complaint

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On 16 March 2024, Clark was invited to attend a United Fire Brigades' Association (UFBA) prize-giving dinner. His conduct at the dinner resulted in UFBA chief executive William Butzbach filing a complaint with the council. According to an independent investigation which interviewed many people present, Clark made disparaging remarks about volunteer firefighters and repeated personal attacks against one particular female MC of the event. He also disparaged young people in positions of authority, understood to be a dig at Gore mayor Ben Bell. Clark disagreed with the alleged severity of his comments, but admitted that some of them were inappropriate and wrote an apology to the UFBA. He also apologised to Bell after Bell reached out to him. Clark placed blame on "brain fade" following his heart surgery, which he said could last up to two years.[39] Clutha mayor Bryan Cadogan questioned this diagnosis, having dealt with his own cardiac issues.[40]

After the investigation was completed, an extraordinary council meeting was called for 21 June to address the complaint.[41] Councillor Ian Pottinger said that he would ask Clark to resign at the meeting and was supported by the Southland Business Chamber.[42] At the beginning of the meeting, Clark stated that he would not resign and left the room. The council unanimously voted to accept the findings of the investigation that Clark had breached the code of conduct, however Pottinger's motion for the council to formally ask Clark to resign failed 5–6. They instead voted to send a letter of censure, require that Clark specifically apologise to the MC he offended, and ask that he delegate future public engagements to the deputy mayor.[43] In an email to councillors the next day, Clark agreed to the further apology but stated that he would continue to speak at public engagements. He further accused them of gaslighting for referring to his behaviour as racist, homophobic, sexist, and ageist.[44]

On 24 June, Clark announced that he would take another month off work, saying that he came back too soon following his surgery.[45]

Relations with the media

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On 22 October 2024, Clark announced that he would no longer engage with several media including the Otago Daily Times, Southland Express and Stuff due to what he regarded as their negative coverage of his Code of Conduct complaints.[46]

2025 local elections

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In mid-October 2024, Clark confirmed that he would not be contesting the 2025 New Zealand local elections as Mayor, telling the Otago Daily Times he wanted to spend more time with his partner Karen Carter. He confirmed that the 2022-2025 term would be his final term as Mayor and that he would focus on the construction of the new Southland Museum and Art Gallery, the development of Wachner Pl and waste management consents for Bluff and Clifton.[47]

Personal life

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Clark has the distinction of being the first person to run the Kepler track 30 times. In 2004 he became just the fourth person to donate a kidney anonymously in New Zealand.[1] Cancer runs in Clark's family, and in 2022 he was diagnosed with follicular thyroid cancer.[48] In December 2023, Clark suffered a minor heart attack. Originally scheduled for a quadruple bypass surgery,[49][50] he only required a double bypass on 3 January 2024.[51] He took a break from council duties until March.[52]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Rosenberg, Matthew (25 June 2021). "Invercargill's unlikely deputy mayor: 'I was like a wolf coming into the sheep pack'". RNZ. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  2. ^ Fallow, Michael (8 October 2022). "Nobby Clark – long a challenging figure, now Invercargill's civic leader". The Southland Times. Stuff. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b Savory, Logan (10 April 2019). "Council critic wants seat at the table". Southland Times. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022 – via PressReader.
  4. ^ "Row erupts at employment hearing". Otago Daily Times. 2010. Archived from the original on 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Patrina got punched by a colleague, so why did she get sacked?". Stuff/Fairfax. 2022. Archived from the original on 4 December 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  6. ^ a b "2019 Elections". ICC. Invercargill City Council. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  7. ^ Savory, Logan (12 October 2020). "Nobby Clark selected as Shadbolt's new deputy mayor". Stuff. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  8. ^ Savory, Logam (30 March 2022). "Nobby Clark to stay on as Invercargill's deputy mayor". Stuff. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  9. ^ Harding, Evan (30 May 2022). "Nobby Clark standing for Invercargill mayoralty". Stuff. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  10. ^ Savory, Logan (29 June 2022). "Group unites in push for 'new blood' at Invercargill City Council". Stuff. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  11. ^ Savory, Logan (20 July 2022). "Former smelter boss part of 'Let's Go Invercargill' ticket running for council". Stuff. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  12. ^ Leask, Anna (8 October 2022). "Your Vote 2022: A new dawn in Invercargill as Nobby Clark elected, Sir Tim Shadbolt's reign now over". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  13. ^ Brunton, Tess (10 October 2022). "New Invercargill Mayor points to different leadership style after Sir Tim's departure". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  14. ^ "New Invercargill mayor Nobby Clark outlines budget plans". 1 News. TVNZ. 9 October 2022. Archived from the original on 28 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  15. ^ Savory, Logan (11 October 2022). "'Your worship' no more: New Invercargill mayor Nobby Clark wants pomp and ceremony gone". Stuff. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  16. ^ "Nobby appoints Invercargill deputy mayor". Otago Daily Times. Allied Press. 14 October 2022. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  17. ^ Girao, Luisa (1 November 2022). "Mana whenua council role to be reduced". Otago Daily Times. Allied Press. Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  18. ^ Girao, Luisa (2 November 2022). "Mana whenua reps return to council table". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 2 November 2022.
  19. ^ Brooks, Sam (8 March 2023). "Bleak: Invercargill's mayor just used the n-word". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  20. ^ "Invercargill mayor criticised for using n-word in speech". 1 News. 9 March 2023. Archived from the original on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  21. ^ Fallow, Michael (9 March 2023). "Nobby Clark - those weren't my words". Stuff. Archived from the original on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  22. ^ Swift, Molly; Iasona, Seni (9 March 2023). "Invercargill mayor Nobby Clark defends saying N-word, repeats it 8 times in Newshub interview". Newshub. Archived from the original on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  23. ^ Fallow, Michael (9 March 2023). "Nobby Clark rebuffs calls to resign or apologise for explicitly citing offensive words". Stuff. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  24. ^ McNeilly, Hamish (21 March 2024). "Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark's bizarre interview with Guy Williams on New Zealand Today". Stuff. Archived from the original on 21 March 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  25. ^ Otago Daily Times (22 March 2024). "Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark unapologetic for racial, sexuality slurs". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  26. ^ Hollingworth, Adam (22 March 2024). "Acting Race Relations Commissioner slams Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark over N-word usage". Newshub. Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  27. ^ Rosenberg, Matthew (16 April 2024). "Nobby Clark facing code of conduct complaint". Otago Daily Times.
  28. ^ Currie, Shayne (23 July 2024). "Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark, his trainwreck interview with Guy Williams and what an independent review has found - Media Insider". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  29. ^ Brunton, Tessa (24 July 2024). "Invercargill mayor Nobby Clark may face another call to resign after second Code of Conduct breach". RNZ. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  30. ^ "Mayor Nobby Clark censured at extraordinary Invercargill City Council meeting". RNZ. 26 July 2024. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024.
  31. ^ Rosenberg, Matthew (25 July 2024). "'Degrading': mayor breaches code of conduct". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  32. ^ "Invercargill mayor Nobby Clark publicly apologises for using racial and homophobic slurs". RNZ. 30 July 2024. Archived from the original on 31 July 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  33. ^ Tomsett, Ben (8 June 2023). "Mayor's comments labelled ignorant". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  34. ^ a b O'Callaghan, Jody (26 June 2023). "Invercargill mayor Nobby Clark called out for creating 'massive racial divide' with his anti-Māori comments". Stuff. Archived from the original on 26 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  35. ^ Tomsett, Ben (25 June 2023). "Controversial tour welcomed by Invercargill mayor". Otago Daily Times. Allied Press. Archived from the original on 26 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  36. ^ "Invercargill mayor calls for tougher consequences for youth crimes". Radio New Zealand. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  37. ^ Rosenberg, Matthew (4 April 2024). "Nobby Clark slammed over youth offending stance". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 10 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  38. ^ "Clear feedback on Invercargill crime". Otago Daily Times. 8 April 2024. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  39. ^ Harding, Evan (20 June 2024). "Ben Bell confronted Nobby Clark over 'disparaging' remarks". Stuff. Archived from the original on 20 June 2024.
  40. ^ Rosenberg, Matthew; Littlewood, Matthew (21 June 2024). "Nobby Clark 'medically unfit' to be mayor". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 21 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  41. ^ Rosenberg, Matthew (19 June 2024). "Nobby Clark accused of 'hateful' comments at firefighters event". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 21 June 2024.
  42. ^ Rosenberg, Matthew (20 June 2024). "'Fall on your sword and resign': Pressure mounts on Nobby Clark". 1 News. Archived from the original on 20 June 2024.
  43. ^ "Invercargill mayor Nobby Clark says he will not resign". Stuff. 21 June 2024. Archived from the original on 21 June 2024.
  44. ^ Boswell, Ryan (22 June 2024). "Embattled Invercargill Mayor says he will continue speaking out". 1 News. Archived from the original on 22 June 2024.
  45. ^ Littlewood, Matthew (24 June 2024). "'Came back too early': Nobby Clark taking more time off work". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 24 June 2024.
  46. ^ Rosenberg, Matthew (22 October 2024). "Mayor threatens to snub news outlets after negative press". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  47. ^ "Mayors decide: Should I stay or should I go now?". Otago Daily Times. 14 October 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  48. ^ Savory, Logan (21 March 2022). "Invercargill deputy mayor Nobby Clark has thyroid cancer, awaits surgery". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  49. ^ "Invercargill mayor set to have surgery after heart attack". 1 News. TVNZ. 29 December 2023. Archived from the original on 29 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  50. ^ Fallow, Michael (28 December 2023). "Invercargill mayor Nobby Clark hospitalised after heart attack". Stuff. Archived from the original on 28 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  51. ^ "Invercargill City Mayor recovering after heart surgery". Invercargill City Council. 4 January 2024. Archived from the original on 4 January 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  52. ^ Fallow, Michael (7 March 2024). "Nobby Clark returns to mayoral duties". Stuff. Archived from the original on 21 March 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
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