‘Inappropriate and unwanted behaviours’: Uni student group out to trespass councillor

The Otago University Students’ Association plans to trespass Dunedin City councillor Benedict Ong from all of its premises after reports from students alleging “inappropriate and unwanted behaviours”.

The Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) is also urging the University of Otago to follow suit and prevent Ong from accessing the wider university campus.

OUSA president Daniel Leamy said the association’s priority was preventing harm and ensuring students felt safe.

“This trespass reflects OUSA’s commitment to preventing student harm and ensuring students feel safe and supported whilst in all OUSA facilities,” Leamy said.

“We also urge the university to follow suit in the interests of student wellbeing.

“While the university campus and OUSA premises are open to the public, we believe all reasonable steps should be taken to ensure students feel safe on campus.”

City councillor Benedict Ong arrived at a council meeting with tape over his mouth earlier this year. Photo / Facebook

Leamy did not detail the nature of the alleged behaviour or identify the students involved.

Speaking to the Herald, Ong strongly denied the allegations and described OUSA’s move as another politically motivated attack against him.

Ong repeatedly characterised the allegations as “falsehoods” and linked them to previous complaints and disputes he had faced since being elected to the Dunedin City Council.

“This is a repetition of history. Of slander, malicious falsehoods against me. Rhyming and repeating itself time and time again,” he said.

Asked about his interactions with students and other members of the public, Ong said he was conscious of being under scrutiny whenever he left his home.

“I’ve got a bit of intelligence obviously to be where I am. Let’s put it modestly. Let’s not say I’m tremendously bright. Let’s say, okay, he has a little bit of intelligence.

“He’s the most widely known and most public, widely known public figure in our community.

“From the moment I step outside of my private home, I am under the public spotlight then.”

Ong said that meant he treated every interaction with members of the public professionally.

He described the people behind the complaints as “evidently malicious and not altogether very bright”.

Asked whether he intended to challenge the proposed trespass or change how he interacted with students and people around the university, Ong said he was preparing an Official Information Act request seeking correspondence held by the University of Otago about the matter.

Ong said he understood OUSA itself was not subject to the Official Information Act, but believed correspondence it had sent to the university could be requested.

He also raised the prospect of taking legal action over allegations made against him.

“Maybe I literally need to find the time to get a good lawyer.”

The development follows a tumultuous first year on the council for Ong, who has been subject to two code of conduct investigations and restrictions on his access to the Dunedin Civic Centre.

OUSA is urging the University of Otago to follow its example and prevent Ong from accessing the wider university campus. Photo / RNZ, Nate McKinnon

Earlier this year, the council restricted Ong’s access to parts of the Civic Centre while workplace health and safety measures were put in place after concerns were raised about his interactions with council staff.

Ong denied wrongdoing and maintained the restrictions were unjustified.

In March, councillors overwhelmingly censured Ong and asked him to consider resigning after an independent investigation found he had committed a material breach of the council’s code of conduct.

The investigation related to an email in which Ong raised concerns about a council staff member and copyied members of the media into the correspondence.

Councillors removed Ong from his deputy technology portfolio and two museum-related roles after the finding.

Ong rejected calls for him to resign.

A separate code of conduct process later found Ong had breached confidentiality requirements relating to commercially sensitive information about a potential hotel development near Forsyth Barr Stadium.

The council subsequently suspended Ong from all committees and subcommittees for nine months, until February 18, 2027.

Ong has repeatedly maintained he intends to remain on the council and serve out his term.

A University of Otago spokesperson said there were ongoing discussions with OUSA regarding the matter and the university was not in a position to comment further at this time.

Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.