Top-Polling Grey Candidate Appeals For Online Civility

Tuesday, 14 October 2025, 5:26 pm
Article: Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter

The top-polling candidate in the Grey District Council election has appealed to 'council-bashers’ to tone it down, for the good of the community. 

Peter Davy topped the list of seven councillors with 847 votes, in an election that saw Mayor Tania Gibson re-elected in a landslide victory over her only rival, the Money Free Party candidate Richard Osmaston. 

Mr Davy, a newly-retired auto-electrician, told LDR it meant a lot to him to have strong community support. 

“It’s reassuring to know people do back you. There was a lot of council bashing during the campaign, and it’s not just for one reason; the reality is a lot of people are in seriously difficult situations. 

"But it’s personally damaging.” 

The GDC approved a rate rise of 13.72 percent this year and the Mayor had been the lightning rod for ratepayer anger, Mr Davy said. 

“Tania has taken a lot of abuse, but we all vote as councillors - and she has just one vote.” 

In a social medial post thanking those who voted for him, Mr Davy said he had every confidence in Mrs Gibson. 

“We as a district face some challenges - we always have. Can I just say that as someone who is very focused on giving back to our community which I love, it is at times hard to read what is said about our council. 

"Please think before you pass judgement on others.“ 

He understood that times were very hard for many, Mr Davy said. 

“Money is tight and it is difficult not to be angry about the rates bill as well as all the other cost increases in this cost-of-living crisis, but to do nothing will only dig ourselves further into debt in the long run.“ 

People venting on social media should think about whether their comments were putting off potentially good candidates, Mr Davy said. 

“Maybe more people would stand for council if they thought people would respect them for putting themselves on the line and not be ridiculed and called muppets, when all we’re trying to do is serve our community.”

Tania Gibson, who was re-elected with more than 3000 votes, said she endorsed Mr Davy’s comments.

“You can get into a pretty negative vibe reading the nastier comments, and I struggled a bit on Saturday, to even put something out online thanking people who voted for me, wondering what I’d get back,” the Mayor said. 

But the response had lifted her spirits. 

“My post has had 22,000 hits; 450 ‘likes’; and 89 comments. Lots of lovely ones and only one negative one. 

"Just when you think everyone’s angry with you, the silent majority steps up- I’m quite humbled.”

Despite the drubbing the council took on social media during the campaign, interim results show all Grey District councillors bar one have been re-elected, and one new addition to the line-up: engineer Paulette Birchfield. 

Mrs Gibson said she was now keen to get back to work and complete projects including the fit out of the new Greymouth library, and the $3.5 million upgrade of the port with funding from the Government ( $2.3 million)and Development West Coast ($1.2 million). 

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

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