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Community guidelines

The noticeboard works because neighbours trust it. A moderator reads every notice and public reply before it appears, and you get a calm daily digest instead of a firehose.

  1. 1. Real names, real streets

    Notices and replies show your full name and street (never your house number). There are no anonymous posts: knowing who is talking is what keeps it friendly.

  2. 2. Be kind, be local

    Keep it to things that matter to island neighbours. Disagree with ideas, not people. No personal attacks, name-calling or pile-ons.

  3. 3. No naming and shaming

    Don’t accuse a named person of a crime or wrongdoing. If something is a police matter, report it to the police (000 for emergencies, Policelink 131 444 otherwise).

  4. 4. No spam, no repeats

    Say it once. If you need to post again, wait a few weeks and share an update. Ads are for business accounts, within their posting limits.

  5. 5. Respect people’s privacy

    Don’t share other people’s phone numbers, addresses, photos or private messages without their say-so. Photos: one per notice, and please don’t include people who haven’t agreed.

  6. 6. Had a bad experience with a business?

    You can share your own experience factually and politely. Don’t accuse anyone of a crime or dishonesty, and don’t post about someone you’ve only heard about. A moderator may decline or edit posts that name individuals.

  7. 7. Stick to the facts

    Don’t spread rumours or misleading claims — especially about emergencies, health or safety. Moderators may add a note or remove a notice.

  8. 8. Politics welcome, campaigning has a home

    Local issues are fair game. Election material should come from a Candidate account and is labelled as such.

How moderation works

  • Moderators approve, lightly edit (you’ll be told what changed and why) or decline. You’ll always get a notification.
  • Anyone can report a notice or reply. Nothing is hidden automatically — a person decides.
  • Repeated breaches earn strikes. Three strikes in 90 days pauses posting for 30 days.
  • Business, nonprofit, government and candidate accounts are labelled and have posting limits so ads don’t crowd out neighbours.
  • Everything appears in the island digest email. Past issues are public on the website with your name, street and contact details removed.
  • The noticeboard page itself shows a shortlist of notices an admin has pinned, and those pins drop off after a couple of weeks.
  • Notices stay visible to signed-in neighbours for 30 days.
  • Private replies share your email address with the notice’s author so they can answer you directly.

Think a decision was wrong, or something posted about you is untrue or harmful? Contact us and we'll look at it promptly. Questions about posting? See the Help page. See also our Privacy Policy and Terms.