‘Gutless’ posts panned

A number of Auckland councillors say the online attacks and abuse they are subject to is out of control after a case involving threatening comments against the council was referred to the police last week.

The comments were contained in a post on the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Facebook page. The remarks, which were removed the next day, mentioned last year’s Christchurch mosque shootings and said the assailant should have started at the Auckland Council.

Detective Inspector Uraia Vakaruru acknowledged the comments might have caused some concern but he was satisfied there was no threat to any specific individual.

He said the person who posted the comments was spoken to by police.

A number of councillors have said the incident is not isolated and the amount of vitriol directed at them and their colleagues is over the top.

Manurewa-Papakura Ward councillor Daniel Newman said he had been the target of defamatory comments that went beyond legitimate political debate.

“Social media has given gutless people a platform to smear, distort, abuse and violate the privacy and reputation of their victims.”

Manukau Ward councillor Efeso Collins shared Newman’s concerns and said he had been shocked at the attacks on colleagues in the last year.

Under the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 it is an offence to intentionally cause harm by posting a digital communication which leads to “serious emotional distress”. —RNZ