North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams has accused John Banks of lying and "verging on defamation" after a heated public debate turned personal.
The pair was attending a debate at Castor Bay Church Hall on the North Shore on Wednesday evening when the meeting soured. Super city candidate Simon Prast said it looked as though a fight might break out.
“For a moment there I thought there would be mayoral fisticuffs,” he told the New Zealand Herald.
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Witnesses say after Mr Banks addressed a question from the public he was accused by Mr Williams of lying, he then responded to the North Shore Mayor with “stop drinking”.
At this reply, Mr Williams reportedly stood up and approached Mr Banks calling him out for his comment.
Mr Williams says the meeting was derailed by a small group of Banks supporters heckling other candidates.
“They are constantly interjecting and haranguing many of the candidates but in particular Len Brown and myself, using insulting and demeaning personal attacks,” he said in a statement today.
The North Shore Mayor says Mr Banks, egged on by his supporters, embarked on personal attacks during the debate.
“It appears his transmogrification to the new nicer John Banks is over as he begins to feel the pressure of his chances in the mayoral campaign. It is very apparent that the old Banks is back.”
Mr Williams has been dogged by comments about his alleged drinking habits ever since being caught urinating outside North Shore's council offices after an evening out.
3 News / RadioLIVE