The Project: Meet the man behind the social media phenomenon that roasts New Zealand towns

They've built a social media empire by slagging off home towns, and now Shit Towns of New Zealand is naming the worst town of them all.

Sixteen places remain in the running to be New Zealand's most derided town, and there's a passionate Facebook community of 130,000.

Their special brand of taking the piss has had a parochial backlash with some towns, but others embrace it.

And the man behind the Facebook page, Geoff Rissoles, joked it appears he's created "a bit of a monster.

"I think taking the piss out of our small towns is a bit of a Kiwi tradition," he told The Project.

"We like to have a bit of fun at each others expenses, and if we couldn't laugh at ourselves what would we be? Australians?"

Rissoles told The Project the largest amount of feedback they get is people dobbing in other towns, but some weren't so humorous with their feedback.

"Earlier on we had quite a few death threats, particularly from Cromwell funnily enough."

And the phenomenon has even expanded its empire.

"Now we're starting to do 'Shit Towns of Australia'," Rissoles said.

After Hawera took out the title for the worst town of them all last year, he said this year's prize was hard to pick.

Newshub.