Monday, 21 May 2018 - 1:00pm

Community embraces iwi panel

3 min read

News article photos (5 items)

TPO aunties
TPO arrival
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The rain poured but at Whakatū Marae the atmosphere was anything but gloomy as the Nelson community embraced the latest Te Pae Oranga iwi panel.

Commissioner Mike Bush thanked Police’s community partners for their “awesomely warm welcome” as he, Police Minister Stuart Nash, iwi leaders and others came together to launch the country’s ninth iwi panel.

Minister Nash said he was 110 percent behind the initiative, which aimed to end a situation in which prison staff could say ‘See you later’ to departing prisoners, knowing they would soon return.

Whakatū became the first marae to welcome the ceremonial Te Pae Oranga carved pou, unveiled by King Tūheitia, Minister Nash and Commissioner Bush in March during the parliamentary reception which celebrated the expansion of the initiative.

Te Pae Oranga is an evidence-based process which aims to keep participants out of the court system and a spiral into more serious offending.   

Instead of pressing charges, police refer eligible offenders – who can be of any ethnicity - to iwi community panels which agree a plan to address harm caused and tackle issues underlying their behaviour.

Panels are credited with cutting reoffending by young Māori by 11.9 percent. Police has a target of reducing Māori reoffending by 25 percent by 2025.

Commissioner Bush told the Whakatū gathering Māori over-representation among offenders and victims of crime was a tragedy for Aotearoa. Having played a part in that situation, Police would play its part in resolving it.

“We are part of what got us here but I firmly, firmly believe we are an important part of the solution because we are at the front of that solution,” he said.

“The decisions and the actions New Zealand Police officers make and take every day and night can have a massive impact. So as Commissioner I have determined that we will police in a way that will correct the situation.”

Minister Nash said the cost of jailing people was soaring – and that “when you lock someone up, not only do you take away their freedom, you take away their future”.

Political opponents would say Te Pae Oranga was soft on crime, he said, but the government would remain committed.

“We will not deviate from the line we have taken; we refuse to go down the path that says ‘lock them up and throw away the key’.”

The panel is managed by Te Piki Oranga, a health provider encompassing the eight iwi of Te Tau Ihu, the top of the South Island. It is expected to hear its first case within the next six weeks.

Jane de Feu, Te Piki Oranga chairperson, said iwi, communities and Police in partnership would “build on the positives while dealing with the negatives”.

“There’s no way that any one group can do it alone,” she said. “This is about all of us pulling together and working for the benefit of our whānau.”

For Tasman Police, the initiative has been led by District Commander Superintendent Mike Johnson and Māori Responsiveness Manager Senior Sergeant Dexter Traill, with training and other support from national Māori, Pacific and Ethnic Services (MPES) staff.

Mike said Te Pae Oranga would make a real difference “in our place” and his staff would “own it, drive it along and nurture it”.

“We’re invested in this,” he said. “This is going to make a difference to us.”

“The Nelson community can pat themselves on the back,” says Dexter. “Their support on the day was quite overwhelming.”

Assistant Commissioner Wally Haumaha, Deputy Chief Executive Māori, says iwi have been waiting for a solution which supports people who have offended and helps rebuild communities. Te Pae Oranga sends a strong signal of Police's intent to think and act differently to keep our communities safe.   

“Our team has worked hard with local police staff and the provider to ensure everyone is well prepared, trained and ready to go,” he says.

Panels operate in Christchurch, Lower Hutt, Gisborne, Manukau, Rotorua, Hamilton, Auckland and Invercargill. Another launches this week in Waitakere.

Te Pae Oranga is part of the Iwi and Community Partnerships workstream of our transformation programme The Safest Country – Policing 2021.