Is gagging of Gisborne councillor undemocratic?

Gisborne district councillors will meet behind closed doors tomorrow after one councillor accused another of making a racist remark. Meredith Akuhata-Brown says she heard a councillor saying it was a pity more Maori weren't killed when James Cook arrived in 1769. But it's Meridith Akuhata-Brown herself who could be in trouble for breaching the council's code of conduct, which says councillors must not crticise the council or other councillors. Andrew Judd is the former Mayor of New Plymouth. He felt the effects of racism after campaigning for Maori representation in his region.