TE AWAMUTU NEWS | 1
THURSDAY APRIL 15, 2021
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APRIL 15, 2021
Council staff backed By Roy Pilott
Garry Dyet
Waipā District Council chief executive Garry Dyet says the exposure given in last week’s News to abusive on-line comments prompted an outpouring of support. Cr Susan O’Regan prefaced a discussion on plans for Te Awamutu’s
Memorial Park by reading some of the abusive and hostile messages which had been posted on social media. “Since Cr O’Regan made her comments, we have received very welcome messages from people who are horrified at what has been reported. We really appreciate those, and I’d like to thank the people for taking the time
to send those in,” Mr Dyet said. The story prompted the Te Awamutu Grapevine to review its monitoring of posts – but while all readers who contacted the News expressed negative views about the comments, some also suggested it was a consequence of frustration in dealing with the council. Much of the recent criticism has
Who’ll buy my poppy?
Valda Davison, manager of the Te Awamutu RSA is backing the call to support the annual Poppy Day collection – the primary source of funds for the organisation’s provision of support services to the service community. Poppy Day collectors will be out and about tomorrow in Te Awamutu, Cambridge and Kihikihi. On Saturday at 9am a March of Remembrance will be organised by Afghanistan Veterans starting with the land wars site of Orākau and finishing at the Sunken Cross in Memorial Park, Te Awamutu, where a poppy collections will also be organised. On Sunday the Pukeatua Church service will be held at 11am with Community Cadets and the Patriot Motorcycle Club members attending,
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centred on plans to rejuventate Te Awamutu’s Memorial Park. The council is also in the process of going through public consultation on its latest Long Term Plan – and is also weighing up whether or not to introduce a Māori ward at next year’s local body elections. Mr Dyet said he welcomed undertakings from social media page administrators adding “Waipā is much better than this”. Cr O’Regan told residents at last week’s meeting staff were leaving because of the abuse. Mr Dyet told the News he accepted some people will not always be happy “and they have every right to share their view”. “In fact, we bend over backwards to help people share their views... but that does not give a green light to abusing our staff or making outlandish, untrue claims.” He said in the “old days” editors used their common sense, ensuring claims made by letter writers and others were factually correct and that even strongly expressed views were fair and courteous. “It’s not like that anymore. The rise of social media has unleashed a level of vitriol not previously seen. People seem to think they can say anything they like on-line, without consequences. But there are consequences.” He said it was a shame that many staff chose not to engage in social media on council matters because they found it too destructive. “People need to remember that Council staff are like anyone else. We live in this community, our kids go to school here, we play in the same sports teams, we’re your neighbours. • Facebook administrator responds to comments – see Page 3.