Lake Rotokākahi sewerage: Rotorua mayor raises security concerns after online abusive messages

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell. Photo / Laura Smith

• Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell shared online abuse received over the Tarawera Sewerage Scheme.
• The $32 million project aims to reduce pollution by connecting Lake Tarawera homes to wastewater; it has attracted protests at Lake Rotokākahi.
• Protester Melissa Brown criticised the mayor in a meeting over the council’s handling of the scheme.

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell has shared some of the profanity-laden online abuse she has received over a sewerage pipe near a sacred lake.

It came after a protester’s emotional outburst in a public meeting, criticising Tapsell for the council’s handling of the Tarawera Sewerage Scheme.

The $32 million project will connect about 440 Lake Tarawera households to the public wastewater network and aims to reduce lake pollution from septic tanks.

On Tuesday, the Environment Court dismissed applications to halt construction of the final 1.4km of pipeline past Lake Rotokākahi.

The council has said it now intends to restart work as soon as possible.

Mana whenua consider that area wāhi tapu as tūpuna (ancestors) were buried nearby during the 1886 Mt Tarawera eruption.

Anti-pipeline protest flags erected at Lake Rotokākahi. Photo / Laura Smith

Melissa Brown (Te Arawa/Ngāi Tūhoe) attended Wednesday’s Infrastructure and Environment Committee meeting. As the public section wound up, she stood and addressed councillors.

Raising her voice when asked to stop, Brown talked about the court ruling and called Tapsell the worst mayor she had known.

She criticised how the council engaged with people about the project and said work to seek a High Court judicial review was under way.

Brown said she was among protesters arrested at the worksite in February.

As council staff led her out of the chambers, she said she felt she expressed her views respectfully. Tapsell said she did not.

Tapsell told colleagues she held significant concerns around security and had escalated online threats to police.

She felt safe in the building but said the council must consider what happens when people break the rules.

Tapsell also referenced Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s recent bolstered security after threatening personal messages.

‘Welled up from inside’

Brown said after the meeting she knew she broke the rules but had no regrets.

“Something welled up from inside and I couldn’t hold it in anymore.”

She said there was misinformation in the community about the project and she had wanted to hear from the council directly, but became emotional.

“It’s very hard when you hear your own whānau described as holding up progress or causing more cost because of the protest.”

She said she had been released without charge and trespassed after her arrest during the protest.

Melissa Brown (Te Arawa/Ngāi Tūhoe) outside Rotorua Lakes Council. Photo / Laura Smith

Her concerns about the scheme included that consultation was, in her view, tokenistic, and the mitigations offered insufficient.

She said she saw Tapsell, as mayor, as the face of the council’s decisions.

“We’re responding in a natural way … I’m sorry she might feel unsafe. That’s not a cool feeling.

“We’re relying on people to make good decisions for us.”

She said she couldn’t control others’ actions.

Brown said the mayor could have offered a conversation to her to hear how she was feeling.

“I understand she can’t do that for anybody, but, for her to call me disrespectful while she’s sitting there smiling and laughing while I’m sharing my mamae [pain] ...”

‘No laughing matter’

Tapsell said after the meeting that the incident escalated existing security and safety concerns, “considering the written and in-person threats I’ve received regarding Lake Rotokākahi”.

Tapsell said everyone was entitled to their opinion but disrupting the meeting was inappropriate.

She said she did not laugh or smile.

“It’s no laughing matter to have someone come to your workplace to stare you down and shout at you.”

Tapsell said politicians had high-profile roles and made big decisions, but these were by majority vote, not one individual.

Messages Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell has received from people opposing a sewerage pipeline being built near Lake Rotokākahi. Graphic / NZ Herald

She estimated she had forwarded police and Netsafe about 23 threatening messages she received since protests against the scheme began.

Screenshots showed recent messages included profanity and suggestions she “hang” herself or be attacked on sight.

“Wouldn’t be surprised if you end up dead,” said one.

Tapsell said it was unacceptable and hurtful, and also impacted her family.

”I’ve needed to warn a grandparent that someone has threatened to come to their house."

She said she would keep giving her all as mayor.

“I got into this role to help make good decisions and we are always focused on what’s best for Rotorua.”

She viewed the court ruling as “proof” the council made the right decisions through the process.

“We’re working hard to deliver a solution to protect one of our lakes and there’s no way we’d drill through burial grounds as we’re being accused of.”

She wanted the scheme to protect the environment and allow mana whenua to return to their land and rebuild papakainga and marae destroyed in the Tarawera eruption.

This required the modern, safe sewerage system the council was delivering in the “best place possible”, following the road to the treatment plant in town.

Infrastructure and assets group manager Stavros Michael stressed the importance of completing the project.

Rotorua Lakes Council infrastructure and environment group manager Stavros Michael. Photo / Laura Smith

He acknowledged some people would hold ongoing concerns and said the council would keep working with stakeholders.

Delays had added significant costs, the sum of which was not yet known.

The council would review meeting security procedures, which must balance the need for public accessibility.

Laura Smith is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. She previously reported general news for the Otago Daily Times and Southland Express, and has been a journalist since 2019.

- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.