That is how Queenstown's mayor Jim Boult characterises two complaints about a perceived conflict of interest over his chairmanship of tourism giant Wayfare.
Mr Boult was on Monday cleared by his fellow councillors, sitting in the Elected Members Code of Conduct Committee.
That decision became public yesterday when a report from its independent chairman, lawyer Mike Holm, was presented to the full council at the last meeting of this triennium.
But Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) candidate Niki Gladding, who laid one of the complaints, said the next step was the Office of the Auditor-general, with a more detailed complaint.
She said Mr Holm's report was useless without the minutes of the committee, and she also rejected Mr Boult's assertions about electioneering.
"One, it wasn't personal, and it certainly wasn't electioneering," she said.
"The only reason why I asked it was because the public in general were asking it, all over Facebook.
"And it's never a waste of money to protect your democracy, I hope he would agree with that.
"At the end of the day, it's just about making sure vested interests don't have undue influence in decision making."
Mr Holm noted the committee and council did not have jurisdiction to make findings under the Local Authorities (Members Interest) Act 1968. That falls to the auditor-general.
Mr Boult, in a statement yesterday, said he had been director of Wayfare Group (formerly known as Real Journeys) since 2013.
"I receive a director's fee, which makes up a small portion of my overall income.
" My involvement in Wayfare Group/Real Journeys has been known since I declared it, and that declaration was documented, when I became Mayor in 2016."
Ms Gladding, and Wanaka motelier Peter Sutherland, complained that directorship caused a conflict of interest during discussions over Queenstown Airport Corporation's expansion plans, the proposed visitor levy, which focuses on accommodation businesses rather than an overall tourism tax, and the Queenstown spatial plan.
Mr Holm said the committee discussed the nature of the chairmanship and confirmed Mr Boult had no shareholding in the company.
"The committee were satisfied that there was no link between decisions of council and any potential for the mayor to receive financial advantage or disadvantage personally as a result of his role as chairman of Wayfare Group."
The unanimous decision was that Mr Boult had not breached the Act and had acted in accordance with the code of conduct over the airport, bed tax and spatial plan discussions, so no further action was needed.
It did, however, find there was a technical breach when Mr Boult had not updated the Real Journeys name to Wayfare on the register of his interests.
Mr Boult said: "I question the motive of those who complained.
"I believe it was an attempt to undermine me during this re-election campaign. Several other councillors also receive income from tourism related businesses. They have, quite rightly, not been accused of a conflict of interest."
However, Mr Sutherland said he would pursue it through the auditor-general.
"Even if [Mr] Boult is not re-elected, we need to pursue it because it then calls into disrepute all the decisions he's been involved with, particularly from my point of view on bed tax, and Niki's on the airport."
He said the cost was "the price of defending democracy".
