Abuse towards politicians is ramping up as local elections loom, with one would-be city councillor talking of needing security for events and another of a list of toxic people to block being shared around.
“I would definitely say it is worse,” said Wellington City Council candidate Iona Pannett, who is undertaking her sixth campaign. “There’s a bit of menace in the air.”
Aggression towards politicians prompted the Government in June to remove a requirement that council candidates publicly list their addresses.
Parliamentary speaker Trevor Mallard in April talked of an increase in “deeply sexist” abuse of female MPs, while a United States study in 2022 found a 23% increase in offensive Twitter posts by members of Congress and that unkind tweets led to more approval and attention on the social media platform.
In New Zealand, incidents like the 23-day anti-mandate occupation outside Parliament and debate around the three waters reforms have highlighted the seeming divide between politicians and some sectors of society. Porirua mayor Anita Baker in April talked out about online abuse female politicians received, including personally being called a “c…” and of three death threats.
Wahine Māori mayoral candidate Tory Whanau said the concerning behaviour ranged from being called “Jacinda’s whore” through to, almost-weekly, men “sliding into my DMs [direct messages on social media]” asking for a sexual relationship. “It is gross, I end up blocking a whole bunch of men.”
KEVIN STENT/Stuff
Wellington mayoral candidate Tory Whanau has been propositioned and abused online.
Screenshots of various messages include: “keep getting jabbed girly”, “what a nasty spoiled brat this woman is” and “2 bikinis one size too small and a mud wrestling pit … winner takes all”.
Wellington councillor Teri O’Neill said her council colleague Nicola Young shared a list with female colleagues at the start of this triennium of about six phone numbers that should be blocked due to concerning and threatening behaviour. Five out of about six were men.
She had been threatened at public meetings and would be in touch with others, such as young, queer, or trans candidates, to make sure they were aware of problems.
One known problem-maker tried to get her and fellow young, female politician Tamatha Paul to a late-night meeting. No others were invited.
Green Party candidate Luana Scowcroft said specific concerns about one man likely to be at meet the candidate events meant the party was looking to send security along.
The man in question was notorious for his behaviour towards women and police had previously been called after he allegedly threatened someone with a firearm, she said. Scowcroft said she did not like to take her children campaigning and would keep them home for meet the candidate meetings.
Steph Edlin, 21, who is having a second run for the council, expected abuse to ramp up as the 2022 campaign rolled on. Three years ago someone posted that she looked like a “succubus in the making”. The mythical creature is a female demon that preys sexually on sleeping men.
“Definitely, as a woman, you are more likely to get comments like that.”
Wellington mayor Andy Foster said he faced some abuse, including some he had forwarded on to authorities to deal with, but it was hard to say if it had worsened over time.
Candidate Paul Eagle said this campaign had been the worst he had experienced for racial stereotyping – mostly about his size or being a “lazy Māori”.
‘Menace in the air’: Abuse of politicians rising, ‘toxic’ trolls on block lists & Latest News Update
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