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Archived Press Releases 2005 24th June 2005

Maori and Crime

(24th June 2005)

Why do Maori make up such a large percentage of our prison population?

Why are Maori failing in our education system and embroiled in our Criminal Justice System?

These are some of the tough questions expected to be asked at a public Law and Order meeting being held in Kawerau this Saturday.

The meeting is being organized by the Sensible Sentencing Trust in response to the community's concerns about the number of young local people involved in violent crimes in recent years.

Trust spokesman Garth McVicar said it appeared the Kawerau community was frustrated at the lack of political action to adequately deal with the ever increasing number of young Maori people involved in violent crime.

"We received a request to organize a meeting to give the locals an opportunity to air their feelings and try and flush out the fallacies and lay bare the reasons Maori are overrepresented in violence in New Zealand."

Mr McVicar said various governments had ridden rough-shod over the people of New Zealand in recent years, "the result has been that child abuse, drug abuse and spousal abuse in New Zealand are now some of the highest in the developed nations, and Maori feature at the top of all those horrific statistics."

"Maori people are certainly not proud of this, the first step in beating this travesty is facing up to it and owning it, we congratulate the people of Kawerau for being prepared to do that."

There may well be some tears and anger at tomorrows meeting but the Sensible Sentencing Trust has earned an enviable reputation for being able to express what most New Zealanders are thinking. That common sense approach is expected to continue tomorrow.

Rita Croskery, mother of murdered Pizza Hutt worker Michael Choy will address the meeting as well as United Future Law and Order spokesman Marc Alexander and Garth McVicar from the Sensible Sentencing Trust, a number of politicians are expected to be in attendance.

The meeting will be held at the Kawerau Concert Chambers at 2:00 PM tomorrow afternoon

For further comment please contact:
Garth McVicar: 06 8349 723; or Mobile 027 2487 919
Melody Wharerimu: Sensible Sentencing Kawerau representative: on 021 2159-123

Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.