McKenzie Complaint Against Bruce Cost $8200

A Gore district councillor's use of the word "gay" to describe a staff presentation cost ratepayers $8200 plus GST to investigate.

Councillor Donna Bruce made the remark to fellow councillor Robert McKenzie during a workshop in April. McKenzie lodged a code of conduct complaint. The investigation found the breach was not significant or serious — but that using the slur failed to treat the staff who created and delivered the presentation with respect.

Investigator James Cowan from Anderson Lloyd described it as a one-off incident.

The final bill was revealed at a Gore District Council meeting on Tuesday by chief executive Debbie Lascelles, buried in a late paper. The council also confirmed $22,169 plus GST had been spent on code of conduct complaints between July 2024 and July 2026, though details of those cases remain confidential.

Bruce apologised at a meeting in late June. She said the investigation had caused her stress, anxiety and sleepless nights, and apologised if any staff were offended. Councillors chose not to admonish her further. One described the episode as a "storm in a teacup" that had wasted time, money and energy.

Hard to argue with that. More than eight thousand dollars to establish that one word, in one meeting, was disrespectful but not serious. The investigation did what it was supposed to do — but the price tag is the kind of thing that sticks.