The Christchurch City councillor at the centre of allegations of inappropriate behaviour is denying claims of gross misconduct.
Deon Swiggs has spoken for the first time on the issue, and it's been revealed he won't stand down.
He said he wants to know who exactly has complained, but does not want the complainants publicly identified.
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"I would support their name suppression, but I need to know who they are, so I can respond to their claims," he told reporters on Friday. "This is not unreasonable, it is surely what anyone would expect; the chance for a fair hearing."
Christchurch City Mayor Lianne Dalziel says she won't be making further comment until the code of conduct investigation is completed early next week.
A youth group first raised the allegations in May, and a formal complaint was made earlier this month.
According to Radio New Zealand, the three complainants were aged between 13 and 21-years-old and the messages were sent over three years.
Swiggs outed himself on Monday afternoon after Dalziel called on the councillor concerned to name themselves "in fairness to everyone including their colleagues and voters".
Newshub.
