A left-leaning Christchurch political event has come under fire for using Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury (ECan) logos to solicit donations for a local Green Party campaign.

The event, titled “Local Government – Can We Make a Difference?”, was organised by Green Party activist Rosemary Neave, “working with the Greens, Labour, The People’s Choice, and The Tuesday Club,” a small left-leaning social group.

Promoted as a way to encourage political engagement, the event featured either Labour or Green local councillors, including Environment Canterbury Chair Craig Pauling.

Promotional material prominently displayed the two council logos and included a ticketing section soliciting donations under the label, “Donation to the Green Party for local campaign support.” Council rules explicitly state, “Council resources are not to be permitted for campaigning purposes.”

Former councillor Tane Apanui criticised the event, saying, “I am pissed off at the use of two council logos to solicit donations for their event. This blatant appropriation of council branding not only misleads the public into thinking this activity is endorsed by ratepayer-funded institutions but also raises serious questions about the ethical standards of the organisation involved.

“These people are so comfortable using resources associated with ratepayers that such actions appear entirely normal to them—an alarming display of the entitlement they’ve built for themselves,” Apanui said.

When approached for comment, Neave told chrislynchmedia.com on Tuesday morning, “I’m just naive. I just put [the logos] up, you know, to say this is about City Council on ECan, and so I’ve just whipped those things off. Nobody else had pointed it out.”

Neave admitted she had not approached the councils for permission. “You know me, I’m an activist, so I’m trying to encourage other people into local government, and I am a part of The People’s Choice and the Greens. But I just wanted to get something quickly up and going. I didn’t want to just see it as simply a party thing. I mean, sure, it’s a progressive thing.”

However, Apanui said, “This is not just a lapse in judgment or naivety; it reflects a broader disregard for transparency and respect for the communities they claim to represent.

“Ratepayer funds and public institutions should never be exploited for political or fundraising purposes. If they want to hold events or seek donations, they should do so under their own banner—not under the guise of council legitimacy. It’s time to call this out for what it is: an abuse of public trust. Ratepayers deserve better than to have their logos and institutions dragged into this kind of self-serving behaviour.”

The People’s Choice Co-Chair Paul McMahon, who is advertised as a panel speaker, told chrislynchmedia.com, “The People’s Choice was not involved in any decisions regarding this event, as it is a Tuesday Club event.

“This was not a decision by The People’s Choice, and I believe it was an error by a volunteer, which has since been corrected.

“The People’s Choice has a strong record of ensuring public resources do not go towards private benefit and always adheres strictly to campaign rules. You’ll need to ask those organisations,” McMahon said.

Rosemary Neave, who previously worked as an Administrative Office Assistant for former Labour MP Ruth Dyson, is well known for her work with community groups and advocacy for stronger representation at the council table.

The Tuesday Club, with which Neave is involved, has publicly endorsed mayoral candidate Sara Templeton, who is running as an independent.

However, Neave said any campaign donations received were not intended for Templeton. “She’s not a Green Party person,” Neave said.

“I mean, the Green Party will be involved in supporting their people and campaigns, and we don’t have any money. So I thought it was time. But in some ways, maybe I’ll take it off because it’s confusing.”

Neave said that following inquiries from chrislynchmedia.com, a council media representative contacted her and asked her to remove the material, which she did.

“I’m retired these days, and I put my energy into trying to support other people and inform them about what’s around. I wear my colours proudly,” she said.

A local community advocate criticised the use of council branding in the event’s promotional materials, saying, “The combination of official council branding and overt political fundraising is an unacceptable blurring of lines between governance and partisan politics.”

Other critics told chrislynchmedia.com that using council branding alongside political fundraising undermines public trust and may violate rules intended to ensure local government remains impartial.

A Christchurch City Council spokesperson said, “The Council was unaware that our logo was being used to promote this event. We have spoken to the event organiser, who has apologised and will remove the Council logo from promotional material for the event.”

Environment Canterbury Governance General Manager
Lisa Goodman said “This is not an event that is formally endorsed or sanctioned by Environment Canterbury.

“A quick check of the event listing this morning shows that the logo has been removed.

“The rules are clear that Council resources are not to be used in the promotion of an individual candidate or political group” Goodman said.

“We have spoken to the Chair and he has advised he was unaware that the logo was being used. Closer to the election, we will be hosting an event to provide information to anyone considering running as a candidate.”

“As for your question about seeking donations, based on the information provided, the activity doesn’t appear to breach the provisions of the Local Electoral Act 2001” Goodman said.