In signing off on my final Ponsonby News column following the local government election last year I made a plea for a line to be drawn on the monthly abuse directed at me and my City Vision colleagues.
It was therefore disappointing to see in the December edition that not only are you allowing the abuse to continue towards former local board chair Richard Northey, it has been ramped up even further and also directed at new chair Gen Sage.
The late John Elliott left a legacy of thoughtful opinion pieces. He always played the ball and not the person. It is sad to see the pages of Ponsonby News now turned over to self-styled "community advocates" who engage in misleading and vitriolic abuse.
Ponsonby News plays an important role in providing local news. The lively features on arts, culture and people in the community deserve to be celebrated. This is in stark contrast to Lisa Prager’s “opinion” pieces and letters. In December she made the claim that City Vision has “ravaged” our neighbourhood. You only need to read through 12 years of back issues to know this can not be true.
Every month, starting with Shale Chambers, the local board chair has reported in Ponsonby News on the activities of the local board and the service of committed elected members. It is City Vision-led boards that have notched up a long list of achievements, including opening up of much loved walkways, restoration of heritage buildings, delivered many new playgrounds, environmental programmes and community grants for local groups.
There will always be differences of opinion, but it is a long established media principle that material facts on which an opinion is based should be accurate. Please can you put an end to vitriol, misinformation and abuse in the pages of Ponsonby News. It is harmful and can not be ignored any longer.
Pippa Coom, Grey Lynn
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