Discussions between Shadbolt, current mayor over

“I understand I won’t be their preferred person to arrange some sort of appropriate gesture. I am more than happy to do it, and I’ve tried, but they would prefer not to deal with me, and that’s OK.”

Current Invercargill mayor Nobby Clark, and long-time former mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt.

Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark has been cut from discussions with his predecessor Sir Tim Shadbolt and his long-time partner Asha Dutt.

Dutt has expressed a reluctance to any further dialogue with Clark and said she was establishing a “Support Group” to handle negotiations with the council over a potential civic tribute for Shadbolt.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Southland Tribune Clark was asked for an update on a possible civic tribute for Shadbolt.

Shadbolt wore the mayoral chains for close to three decades and during the election campaign Clark suggested an appropriate tribute should be sorted if Shadbolt’s time with the council finished in October.

Last month Clark said he hoped to make an announcement in “a couple of weeks”. However, discussions with Shadbolt and Dutt has broken down.

“I put a couple of options to them that they didn’t agree with. But they have also asked that they would prefer to negotiate this with somebody else, rather than me. So, I’m a little bit out of the loop until something comes back,” Clark said.

“I understand I won’t be their preferred person to arrange some sort of appropriate gesture. I am more than happy to do it, and I’ve tried, but they would prefer not to deal with me, and that’s okay.”

Dutt said Clark phoned her on the day that news of Shadbolt being admitted to hospital for respite care broke on March 27.

“This was galling as we had not heard from him at any stage since the election, prior to that time.

“He put forward an option he had thought of for a tribute but admitted it may not be satisfactory, given Tim's protesting past.”

Neither Dutt nor Clark confirmed what the suggested tribute option was.

Dutt said she asked what alternative proposals the council had, should Clark's option not be suitable to Shadbolt.

At that stage, there were no other options on the table, Dutt said.

“Subsequent to Nobby's call, I expressed, to a third party, my reluctance at any further dialogue with Nobby as my concern was that he would run to the media during negotiations and I would be painted the antagonist and agitator if I/we were seen to oppose any further tribute suggestions.”

Dutt said she was in the process of establishing a “Support Group” that can handle negotiations now, so she was removed from having to deal with the council.