Auckland councillors should know there’s no HR in court of public opinion

PremiumOpinionOpinion byTom DillaneOpinion Editor·NZ Herald·7 Jul, 2026 05:51 AM7 mins to readTom Dillane is the Opinion Editor at the New Zealand Herald. He leads the Herald’s opinion coverage across digital and print, commissioning and fact-checking columns, contributions and leaders, as well as producing his own comment and analysis pieces.‌Auckland councillor Christine Fletcher alleges she was the victim of "bullying and name-calling" behaviour by one of her elected colleagues during a recent meeting. Photo / Cameron PitneyUnfortunately for emotionally bruised Auckland councillors dishing accounts of increasingly abusive workplace debates, there is no HR department in the court of public opinion.

I struggle to see how Auckland councillor Christine Fletcher can politically benefit by publicly airing her allegation that she was called a “f***ing fat b****”