Marlborough’s mayor criticised two ACT Party councillors on August 13, 2026, after they filed an external party motion originally written for another council.
Marlborough Mayor Rejects External ACT Motion
Marlborough’s mayor, Nadine Taylor, slammed the district’s two ACT Party councillors after discovering they filed an ACT-affiliated motion that originated elsewhere. Malcolm Taylor filed the notice of motion in June, and John Hyndman seconded it, before it was ultimately withdrawn at the council table on August 13, 2026.
The proposal called for stricter reporting rules for council reports, including mandatory sections detailing how decisions impact rates, professional staff assessments, and explicit alternative options. However, the document acknowledged that the Marlborough District Council already practiced nearly all of the suggested changes. The paperwork even contained an unedited reference to the Far North District Council.
Mayor Nadine Taylor expressed frustration that the councillors submitted the paperwork without first voicing their concerns to her. She described the filing as clearly a party document
that didn’t bring any benefit to Marlborough
and stated that she preferred councillors to focus on local matters.
Origins and Unprecedented Council Table Debate
Malcolm Taylor explained that he obtained the text from Far North ACT councillor Davina Smoulders following a Zoom meeting that distributed the draft to a network of local politicians nationwide. He filed it the next day to push for mandatory compliance rather than mere best practice. Despite withdrawing the notice, Malcolm Taylor insisted I think if I had proceeded with it, it would have passed,
claiming at least five other councillors supported it.
The withdrawal did not stop a sharp procedural clash. Councillor Gerald Hope argued that the document’s introduction was unprecedented in [his] time around the table,
urging an open debate. An early recess followed while the mayor consulted legal advice on whether standing orders permitted discussion on a withdrawn item. Upon resumption, Mayor Nadine Taylor ruled that no debate could proceed.
The mayor also criticized the administrative strain caused by the filing. Council staff had to spend time filling in information gaps before the motion was pulled. [That] really does tie up a lot of time and resources from council staff, at a time when I would prefer to support council staff to be doing the work that they need to do,
she said.
Councillor Divisions and National Legislation
Malcolm Taylor ultimately pulled the notice because a local government amendment bill containing everything this notice of motion asked for
had just passed its first reading in Parliament. Yet, fallout among elected members persisted regarding transparency and outside drafting.
Councillor Deborah Dalliessi supported the motion initially but stated she only learned of its external authorship when Malcolm Taylor disclosed it during the meeting, arguing that party affiliation and true authorship should have been declared upfront. John Hyndman defended seconding the motion as a gesture to show solidarity
with nationwide networks, but admitted he never believed it belonged at the Marlborough council table, adding that he was very happy
with existing staff relationships.