Nash to tackle Northland meth issues

Police Minister Stuart Nash is meeting with the commissioner and the Northland district commander to figure out how to tackle the region’s methamphetamine problem.

The meeting comes after National Party police spokesman Chris Bishop said a ‘‘gamechanging pilot to tackle meth use in Northland is at risk of shutting down’’.

Nash had been silent on whether the programme would receive further funding from the Government, Bishop said.

Te Ara Oranga launched in August last year. Set up under the former National Government, at a cost of $3 million, it was funded until June 2018.

However, the programme’s website said it expected to be funded for a further year.

The Northland programme was a collaboration between police, the district health board and community agencies.

Between August and December, police made nine arrests, executed 12 search warrants, seized 13 firearms, and referred 24 people for treatment, as part of the pilot.

The one-day action programme received 120 referrals, with 51 people attending the programme.

Meanwhile, meth clinicians had been working with 71 clients since October 2017.

The programme had also put 15 people into new work and given five people job training.

Bishop said the programme had ‘‘proven to be a huge success in getting people off meth’’.

He urged the minister to announce funding for the programme beyond the one-year pilot.

Nash said Budget decisions for the next financial year were being considered. He would not say whether Te Ara Oranga would receive further funding.

He said police were assessing the results of the Northland pilot programme and working with the health sector, iwi organisations, and others to determine the best way to continue the work cracking down on meth-related crime, and addressing the drivers of meth use.

Nash said he would meet with Police Commissioner Mike Bush and Northland district commander Russell Le Prou on Saturday to discuss crime prevention initiatives, including strategies to reduce meth use and meth-related crime.

Nash has said cracking down on organised crime, and the country’s meth ‘‘epidemic’’ are priorities for the new Government.