A Christchurch City councillor has caused offence after making a "sexist" remark about Merivale women at a council meeting on Monday.
While speaking at a long-term plan funding discussion councillor Aaron Keown compared Merivale wives to Banks Peninsula.
"I look at Banks Peninsula as more like a Merivale wife, they look really good, but very expensive," Mr Keown said to laughs from those in attendance.
Talking to The Press , Mr Keown apologised if his comment caused offence, but he says he doesn't regret saying it.
"The intention was never to offend anybody – it was meant as a compliment. If they haven't taken it as a compliment then apologies.
"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."
However, after Mr Keown made the comment Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel ruled it as being "out of order" and made him retract it.
Merivale Precinct Society member Chris Aynsley went one further and told The Press that the councillor'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."
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