As we approach a new political cycle with the imminent appointment of a new National party leader and as we get closer to the election at the end of next year, I would like to make it clear that the Moderation team have certain expectations.

We expect our commenters to get back to basics as we want to run a tight ship. We will be paying close attention to the comment sections on serious “authored” posts.

The comment sections allow people to vent and lets them know that they are not alone in the fight as they question the strange goings-on within the walls of parliament and indeed within the confines of the TV screen.

The comment sections help commenters to express their frustration with the New Zealand mainstream media as well as the rubbish that is being dished out and sold to us literally as news via online publications and the dead tree media, which somehow still manages to exist despite plummeting readerships and sales.

Some people use the comments section to brag or to talk as if they know what’s going on when in actual fact they should be listening with two ears and speaking with one mouth. Of course these days most people speak with their thumbs and their fingers through a keyboard.

This week in fact someone put out a preposterous rumour and we were forced to terminate that persons commenting privileges as it was completely false and completely out of line with our values as a Media organisation.

So it is with great pleasure that I announce on behalf of the moderation team that we will be buckling down and taking more of a quality over quantity approach for the next few weeks on serious posts.

I hope that those of you who are part of our community will be responsible for your actions and will not cry victim but will learn from your mistakes. This post is the warning shot over the bow.

Our deleted bin is going to overflow in the next few weeks as we ruthlessly cull unsuitable or unacceptable comments.

There will be no warnings, comments will simply be deleted.

Helper and problem solver for the BFD. Hands-on in the real world. Headlong in the online world.