Disclaimer: This post is written as civic commentary and personal opinion. Public behaviour is discussed with humour and critique in the spirit of democracy. No harm is intended, and all candidates are welcome to respond or clarify.
Featuring boomers with bad grammar, unsolicited rage, and Danny Loughlin, obviously.
Local elections should be about policy, accountability, and actual leadership.
But here in Taupō?
You get a handful of candidate forums, and then it’s open season in the comment section, where the uncles, aunties, and anonymous keyboard warriors emerge like toddlers after nap time, cranky, messy, and fully committed to pissing all over any form of thoughtful dialogue.
The Forum Was Mild. The Comments? Feral.
At the recent Rotary “Meet the Candidates” forum, over 300 people showed up. Some genuinely came to listen. Others clearly came to perform. And a few walked out early either from boredom or secondhand embarrassment.
But the real drama?
It wasn’t on stage. It was online.
The Lake FM page lit up with “feedback” so sharp it could cut through reality itself, if reality were made entirely of recycled talking points, race-baiting, and petty grievances disguised as questions.
Toddlers in the Thread
Some of you are fully grown adults, business owners, community members, even candidates, but in these threads?
You’re tantruming.
You’re twisting facts.
You’re throwing shade at Māori candidates like Wahine Murch for daring to bring lived experience into the room.
You’re side-stepping your own track records while demanding flawless behaviour from the people actually showing up.
And then there’s Danny Loughlin.
You’re out here criticising the Māori Ward and Wahine with the subtlety of a sledgehammer wrapped in a “just asking questions” T-shirt.
We see you.
We’ve always seen you.
This isn’t debate — it’s deflection.
Why It Matters
Because this kind of energy pushes the good ones away.
People who actually care, who come with nuance, culture, facts, end up being told to “pipe down” by folks whose only qualification is surviving 40 years of grumbling into a mug of bell tea.
You want candidates who are measured, informed, and accountable?
Try creating an environment where they’re not being harassed online for speaking with heart and whakapapa.
Final Thought
Some of you think your comment is “just an opinion.”
But your words set the tone for the kind of council and the kind of community, we end up with.
If you can’t handle someone challenging your assumptions without spiralling into a online meltdown, maybe local government isn’t broken, maybe it’s just reflecting you.
“Public forums are for performance.
The comment section is where the script ends.”
Bones apetit. ( like Bon Appetit, but with bones)
(P.s some of screenshots were double ups because well some of the comments were long and needed context)
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