Merivale wives outraged at city councillor Aaron Keown's 'sexist' comment
Christchurch City councillor Aaron Keown says the world's in trouble if people can't laugh at compliments.
A Christchurch City councillor says he's sorry if anyone was offended, but he doesn't regret his comment about Merivale women at a council meeting.
During a long-term plan funding discussion on Monday, councillor Aaron Keown made a comparison between Banks Peninsula and Merivale wives.
"I look at Banks Peninsula as more like a Merivale wife – they look really good, but very expensive," he said.
Christchurch City councilor Aaron Keown likened Banks Peninsula to Merivale wives - "they look really good, but very expensive".
Keown on Thursday apologised to anyone who "may be offended by the comment", but said it was meant as a humorous compliment.
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"The intention was never to offend anybody – it was meant as a compliment. If they haven't taken it as a compliment then apologies."
Keown says he's sorry if anyone was offended by the comment, but he doesn't regret saying it as he "made a room full of people laugh".
He said the world was in trouble if people were taking offence to compliments.
"Forget nuclear peace – if the world can't laugh at itself in a compliment then we're really, really in trouble. Climate change is the least of our worries if we can't laugh."
Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel ruled the comment "out of order" and made Keown retract it.
Merivale is one of Christchurch's more affluent suburbs.
"I know what you are trying to say, it just really was a very bad way to try and say it," she said during Monday's meeting.
Keown said the comment was "meant to be lighthearted and certainly not offensive to Merivale women".
"I compared Merivale because that's where our rich and beautiful people live."
Sharron Ballantyne says Keown's comment about Merivale women was poor.
He said he had received cosmetic work himself and had modelled for money when he was younger.
"If anything more people should take more pride in their appearance."
While a person's personality was their most important feature, they would find more success if they took more pride in their appearance, he said.
A Merivale wife and mother, who had lived in the suburb for 26 years, said Keown's comment was offensive.
The woman, who did not want to be named, said there was a much broader cross-section of people in Merivale than most people believed.
"To be fair, we have that lifestyle around but it doesn't typify Merivale. Most suburbs of Christchurch have the Merivale wife living in them."
She said the demographic of the area had changed over the years.
"There's a lot of retired people, young families, professionals and rental properties here now."
Merivale gardener Sharron Ballantyne said it was a poor comment towards women.
"You can't judge women from where they live for a start," she said.
Merivale Precinct Society member Chris Aynsley said Keown's comment was offensive.
"We wonder if he has the courage to say that to any woman face to face, I suspect not. He clearly likes to grandstand, puff his chest out and be a prat.
"It's a sexist remark and I would have thought that he would have known better than that, clearly not."
- Stuff
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