Former Tauranga city councillor Leanne Brown reveals extent of abuse, death threats

Former Tauranga City councillor Leanne Brown says the abuse and threats elected members receive can be hard but they also need to behave better. Photo / File

It was a death threat that did it.

Former Tauranga city councillor Leanne Brown has revealed in detail the reason she chose not to stand again as an elected member in last year's local body elections.

At the time, Brown referred to the "viciousness and personal attacks" on social media as contributing factors. She said she felt for council staff who were also frequently on the receiving end of online hate.

Brown has now revealed to the Bay of Plenty Times she had also received death threats affecting her and her family.

"I got death threats ... This guy was calling me names with all the fs and cs and all that," she said.

"When you are so publicly exposed you become very, very vulnerable. The fact this guy threatened to hang me, I think that's what it was, and my daughter being home alone that weekend, that was it. That was the last straw."

Brown, who was out of town, said she became scared for her daughter. The family's details were logged with police who she said were on alert for any potential emergency calls from her home address or family phone numbers that night.

Former mayor Greg Brownless received the same death threats from the same man.

Brownless and Brown each confirmed police became involved and the man was charged and eventually convicted, with name suppression.

The fact this guy threatened to hang me, I think that's what it was, and my daughter being home alone that weekend, that was it. That was the last straw.

This is the first time Brown has spoken of the ordeal publicly since.

Her comments come as figures from Tauranga City Council reveal a surge of incidents where council staff and workers have been threatened or abused this year.

Brown said it was understandable the council, staff and elected members became subjected to people's grievances or difference of opinion.

"The council is something that touches people's lives every day, whether they are aware of it or not. Water, rubbish, roads, that's every single person."

Brown said as a councillor she used social media such as Facebook to keep connected with the issues or concerns of the community. However, it often became a toxic spiral of trying to offer information then attracting abuse about another matter.

"It doesn't matter what you say, they don't necessarily want to hear it or believe it. You are constantly chasing your tail."

People need to be reminded to think twice before launching into an attack on someone else and consider the ramifications from their actions, she said.