Former National Party list MP Aaron Gilmore, who resigned in 2013 after it was revealed he used his position as a threat to a hotel employee, says there has been "outrageous behaviour" by those in Parliament.
Aaron Gilmore has put his name in the running for a seat at Wellington City Council. Photo: NATIONAL PARTY
Listen to the full interview with Aaron Gilmore
Gilmore is putting his name forward for a seat in Wellington City Council, saying he believes he can make a difference.
Addressing the 2013 drunken incident at a Hanmer Springs hotel, Gilmore told Karyn Hay he did the right thing by resigning, but recent behaviour by those in Parliament was much worse.
"I look at the scandals that have happened in Parliament in the last few weeks, let alone the last few years, and there's been some outrageous behaviour that has occurred.
"Many of my friends and colleagues sort of said well, you made a stand, yes, you did something wrong, but relative to [what] some of the people have done, it pales in significance."
He claimed he was also misreported for the quote 'do you know who I am?', which has been associated with him in some reports.
"I never actually said those words and I find it amusing still that's what I'm famous for.
"I've got a hooded sweatshirt that I think Mr Vintage put out, selling them with a stylised picture of my face … you've got to laugh at things 'cause if you can't laugh at yourself and your own failures, and learn from them, then you are not even going to be get any better as a person."
Speaking on Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell's bullying revelation, Gilmore said that was another case of "outrageous behaviour".
"I hear [about] that behaviour, and I think is that the right kind of person we want to have in public office? Well, it was a long time ago and everyone can reform themselves, so that's always important.
"People have to have a chance at redemption. But I think it's been poorly managed in terms of perception, that should have been made public and the people should have the decision to make with that information prior to the election itself."
Court case with parents on financial dispute
Since his resignation, Gilmore has been back in the headlines over the years for court cases.
One of them was brought forward by his parents over what they say is an unpaid loan worth $250,000. Stuff reported they said he should pay back the money before seeking a seat on the council.
Gilmore told Karyn Hay the money would be "paid back as per the terms of the loan" agreement, which he said was undertaken for the "benefit of their grandchildren".
"To be honest, the loan terms of that loan agreement doesn't actually require the amount to be paid back until certain things have occurred, and hand on my heart, we went through a process of offering that in a more efficient or different way, and we are doing that."
Running for council
This was a chance to make an impact on big decisions because Wellingtonians were fed up with the council, Gilmore said.
"A recent survey was done in Wellington, 88 percent of the people were not happy with the Wellington City Council.
"We've got to spend money a bit smarter … we just spent $200 million on a convention centre which, if you ask most people, they would rather that money was spent on something else, particularly to stop the water or the poo bubbling up above the ground."
He runs a small business in Wellington, which was impacted by the Parliament protest occupation earlier this year.
"You learn what your customers like and don't like and … how to treat the staff and look, you know, I've had some great staff and I've had some not so great staff and, like any small business owner, you run into lessons on how to do those things right or not right."