Corrections backs down over sex offenders move
Community pressure has scuttled plans to house convicted child sex offenders nearby popular swimming holes and a proposed new subdivision that would feature playgrounds and a primary school near Levin.
The Department of Corrections had sent out a letter to neighbouring properties last week showing plans to rent a three bedroom house in Gladstone Rd with a sleepout to specifically house men with convictions for child sex offences. There would be capacity to house four men at the property at any one time.
But early yesterday morning, hundreds of residents in the immediate area that were against the proposal learned that the Department of Corrections had now shelved the housing plans.
Those residents had only been made aware of the proposal early last week, and had already held meetings in an attempt to get the decision overturned.
A critical part of the process was community consultation. Earlier this week Corrections officials met with three representatives of the residents group, with Horowhenua mayor Bernie Wanden and National MP Nathan Guy also in attendance.
Concerned Levin resident Dave Sayles said there was a bus stop where children met each morning before school that was less than 100m away.
“They didn’t do their homework,” he said.
Sayles said he realised child sex offenders had to be placed somewhere, but was concerned about the possibility of reoffending and the unease it would create in the community.
“It’s in the wrong place. That’s it,” he said.
Levin woman Jane Hodgson, who also lives in the immediate area, was one of more than 60 property owners on an emailing list sharing information.
Hodgson was happy the Department was not proceeding with the proposal, and said there were more than 100 children living within a 1km radius of the proposed residence.
They had originally been told the property would be managed by staff from Healthcare NZ, who would be at the property for eight hours each day, although would provide 24-hour phone support for the occupants.
There were plans to start moving the men into the house once contracts had been signed between Healthcare NZ and the Department of Corrections, and between Healthcare NZ and the property owner.
While nothing had been signed yet,
Healthcare NZ already housed people under residential care in a house immediately in front of the proposed new site, which is why the property came to their attention.
Ara Poutama was the government agency that managed the offenders and had engaged Healthcare NZ to help them find employment and connect them to services within the town.
In their letter to residents it said, “Without accommodation services like this, people are more likely to move into social service housing where they won’t have the same degree of support and oversight.
“Alternatively, people can end up homeless. This would mean they wouldn’t have the same degree of oversight and support that would be available through a supported accommodation service.”
Similar residential housing for sex offenders currently existed around New Zealand, with houses in Taranaki and Whanganui.
“The goal is to give them the skills they need to live productive lives on their own. Where possible, we will work to help people return home to their communities and work with their wha¯ nau were appropriate.
“Where we can, we support people from the same area they have come from so that they can stay connected to whanau, iwi or support people who help them stay on track.”
The men were required to comply with any parole conditions imposed on them, which could include curfews, electronic monitoring, orders not consume alcohol or drugs, and attend relevant rehabilitation programmes.
The Gladstone area had been earmarked as a region for future housing growth in Levin, including plans for parks and a new school in the near future.
It’s in the wrong place. That’s it. Levin man Dave Sayles
National MP Nathan Guy had called out Minister of Corrections Kelvin Davis for a face-to-face meeting with Levin people affected by plans to house child sex offenders in the town.
But the meeting won’t happen now anyway, with news yesterday that the Department of Corrections has bowed to public pressure and shelved the plans.
Guy had originally written to Davis personally and invited him to Levin, giving him opportunity to find space in his calendar in the next three weeks.
“My community is outraged by this proposal and they feel there is a real lack of consultation and open communication,” he had said.
Guy said Levin residents had wanted answers after only learning about the possible housing plans last week.
“To allow you to attend this very important meeting I respectively ask you to provide me with a date and time that suits you over the next three weeks and then the meeting will be organised around your availability,” he had said in the letter to Davis.
Guy said members of the community living closest to the proposed housing of child sex offenders were right in wanting their questions of Davis answered.
He said there was a community wanting to know what those occupants of the house had been convicted for and the severity of their offences. All they had initially been told was that the residents would be “low risk”.
“No child sex offender should be considered low risk,” he said.
Horowhenua District councillor Sam Jennings had also put pressure on the department with a long list of questions, namely if there had been an investigation into the amount of young people living in the immediate area.
He had wanted to know the process of site selection, whether there had been liaison with police, iwi, or the Ministry of Education, and whether there had been any risk analysis or feasibility studies done on the property.
Jennings had also asked whether GPS monitoring was a standard condition for residents of the property and whether there was provision for extra supervision.
He told the departrment he was concerned about the proximity of the house to foot traffic, a nearby Scout hall, regular horse riding treks and school group visits up the river, and the distance and time delay for police response.
No contract was ever signed between Healthcare NZ and Department of Corrections, or between the department and the owners of the land in Levin.
Horowhenua Chronicle
understands there is a shortlist of 18 houses earmarked by Department of Corrections, with a majority of those in the Manawatu¯ area, although many had since been found to be unsuitable because of their proximity to schools..
Two properties in Levin had been on the list, one in Gladstone Rd, and one in Denton Rd.
My community is outraged by this proposal and they feel there is a real lack of consultation and open communication. National MP Nathan Guy