I received a message today from Rotorua that clarifies and changes important aspects of the last Swimwatch story. The Swimwatch story commented on the following Facebook post.

Rotorua Aquatics SOS – Save our Swimming Pools

January 15 at 7:55pm · Rotorua ·

In the last year RLC Group Manager for Sport and Recreation – also the President of Swim Rotorua – oversaw a Memorandum of Understanding on a 5 year partnership between the two entities. So did this person sign on behalf of both parties? Coincidentally he steps down from the position of President just prior to the outsourcing of Aquatic Centre was agreed to, after the Union starts asking questions about conflict of interest….!! #coffeeconsult

I googled “RLC Group Manager for Sport and Recreation” and discovered that someone called Rob Pitkethley was the Rotorua Lakes Council Sport, Recreation & Environment Manager. Wrongly I assumed Pitkethley was the person being referred to on Facebook. I am now told that is not the case. The person who occupied positions in both the Council and the Swim Rotorua club was the Acting Group Manager, Operations at Rotorua Lakes Council, Henry Western.

Several things of importance arise from that change.

1. First and most important I apologize to Rob Pitkethley for the error. I should have researched the Facebook post more thoroughly.
2. I would stress again to Rotorua Aquatics SOS the importance of accuracy and names in reporting events like these. A just cause can be quickly lost when people’s titles and names are incorrectly reported.
3. Although the names have changed the principles at play remain the same. Has a public official had his fingers in too many pies?
4. Swimming New Zealand need to investigate whether a Board member of one of its clubs has acted improperly. Has one club in Rotorua benefitted, at the expense of swimming in general, by having a Board member also be a senior Council employee? This is especially relevant given that Henry Western was also once a Board Member of Swimming Bay of Plenty. Swimming New Zealand need to find out what role, if any, Henry Western played in Council negotiations with Swim Rotorua and with the private company appointed to manage the aquatic centre.
5. I would think that the Rotorua Lakes Council should also look at any conversations Western may have had with Pitkethley during both these negotiations that could have influenced the decisions that were made.
6. I doubt there has been any wrongdoing. However the perception of something wrong is not good. It is amazing to me that a person like Weston who has worked for Buddle Findlay and the Ombudsman could not see the perceived dangers of his senior Council position and his roles on a favoured swimming club and on the Board of Swimming Bay of Plenty – especially while deals were being done with his club and with a corporate private manager of the pool.

And so, I apologize again for the error. However there may be something smelly in Rotorua swimming. It is best that Swimming New Zealand and the Rotorua Lakes Council check that it is not coming from the local swimming pool.