Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale has hit back at keyboard warriors who are making “unsupported allegations” against council staff on social media.

Drysdale said he was concerned by the posts as it created an unreasonable situation for individual staff and the organisation.

Comments were made on social media in response to posts on Tauranga’s marine precinct.

The precinct was sold to Christchurch developer Sam Rofe for $13.9 million – at least $4m below its valuation.

The sale conditions meant most of the working boat operators would need to relocate from their berths, but the council also agreed to fund up to $29.2m to develop an alongside wharf and replace the existing Bridge Wharf.

Social media users claim Tauranga City Council staff are misleading or lying to councillors.

Tauranga's marine precinct, pictured in 2018, was sold by the council for $13.9 million.

In a statement, Drysdale said there have been comments over the past few weeks about the council’s property transactions, which were primarily made during the time of the commission.

“Some of these comments include unsupported allegations which have unfairly and unjustifiably targeted council staff.

“Given the concerning nature of some of the narrative on various media platforms and public behaviour relating to this matter, I am conscious that this is creating an unreasonable situation for individual staff members and the organisation as whole.”

Drysdale would not specify which comments he was referring to.

“I don’t wish to directly respond or fuel the fire of social media.”

The discussion was mainly about the marine precinct and the council’s purchase of 160, 168 and 176 Devonport Rd in the city centre, he said.

There were also a number of other transactions released over the past few months, Drysdale said.

The council bought the land and buildings at 160 Devonport for $10m in June 2023 because it owned little city-centre property at the time and the site offered “significant development potential”, according to a report to council.

Comments on social media made "unsupported allegations that unfairly and unjustifiably targeted council staff", Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale said. Photo / Alex Cairns

In July 2023 the council decided to develop the site as a carpark. Construction was completed in August 2024 at an estimated cost of $1.83m.

The site could be developed further in future or sold as a strategic asset, the report said.

Drysdale said: “I am keen to ensure the transparency and legitimacy of all significant recent property-related transactions and council chief executive Marty Grenfell is fully supportive of that approach.”

To address the property-related concerns and ensure staff were protected and treated in a fair manner, work was under way to clarify and resolve any concerns, he said.

Drysdale said the intention was to report back to the council on the probity of the transactions and compliance with the council’s Acquisitions and Disposals Policy and the Local Government Act, he said.

Drysdale told Local Democracy Reporting the new council had different priorities to the commissioners and would have likely made different decisions on a number of the transactions.

“However, we have seen no evidence to indicate staff wrongdoing in any transactions and back our staff to work with us to deliver on the decisions we make for the future of our city.

“We have inherited a number of decisions that we need to manage and work with stakeholders on to find solutions in the future. We look forward to doing this alongside our talented staff for the benefit of all those that live in Tauranga, now and in the future.”

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