Top cop: Ma¯ ori have to work together
Wha¯nau, hapu¯ , and iwi crucial to solving gang crime, Haumaha says
Investing in prevention is key to prevent reoffending.
Wally Haumaha
The country’s top Ma¯ori policeman says unless the approach to managing rising crime involves Ma¯ ori organisations at the outset, we will continue looking up from the foot of the cliff and fail to address the real factors driving crime from the top.
Police Deputy Commissioner Wally Haumaha, from Rotorua, has seen it all, from the cradle to the grave, since joining NZ Police in 1984.
He told the Herald his experience over many years has reinforced his belief that wha¯nau, hapu¯, and iwi hold the key to stopping the out-ofcontrol Ma¯ori statistics that have seen Ma¯ori, young and old, churning through police cells, courts and prisons in volumes.
He said the tribal structures within Ma¯oridom today, as opposed to the past, are now far better prepared to deal communally with offenders and victims, rather than the individualistic approach in the current system.
“In all my years of policing, I am firmly of the view that the best solutions for Ma¯ori sit comfortably with wha¯nau, hapu¯ and iwi, without a doubt.
“Their willingness to be involved in driving solutions and to be totally engaged in supporting offenders is by no means simplistic, and by holding offenders to account for their actions while showing compassion and care for victims is where I have seen the most benefit and success.”
Haumaha has worked alongside many Ma¯ori groups that are committed to alternative ways of dealing with offenders which are informed by tikanga Ma¯ori, a unique form of restorative justice that has helped to change lives.
He is certain this allinclusive approach will lead to changes for the overworked criminal justice system.
“We all know that young people looking to join gangs have come from wha¯nau suffering from family harm, drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness, and addictions.”
“Gangs and crime are not just a Ma¯ori problem, or just a policing issue.
“Gangs have become more sophisticated, with huge amounts of money drawn down from the distribution of meth and proceeds of crime.
“It’s an issue where we have to bring together a collective of diverse skills, knowledge and experiences to combat the increasing rates of drugs and violence in our communities, in our homes and on our streets. “Wha¯nau, hapu¯, iwi want to be involved in improving the wellbeing not just of Ma¯ori but anyone who needs their support, free from harm and free from these painful pillars of misery.
“Our trusted partnerships with Ma¯ ori has been the sharing of information which has led to Ma¯ori-led local solutions that are enduring and sustainable. Everyone is there for the long haul to strengthen and support wha¯nau within those communities, and Ma¯ ori have been key to successful outcomes. But we have a long way to go.”
Haumaha said he is as excited about policing today as he was when he joined in 1984. “My mahi has become more than a job. It has been my calling, my vocation, supported by the judicious voices of Ma¯ori leaders too many to mention - people who knew what they were talking about and who understood the system and the harm suffered by individuals within it.”
Constant talk blaming Ma¯ori crime on those who had lost their cultural connection was an easy excuse, Haumaha said. The cultural disconnection argument didn’t wash with him.
“I’ve heard that for a long time, the issues are far more complex than that.”
So, what are the answers to these issues?
The key to the future, according to Haumaha, is dedicated, committed and genuine engagement with iwi.
“All government departments want to strengthen and develop relationships with iwi.
“Investing in prevention is key to prevent reoffending, which is what we did when we established Te Pae Oranga in partnership with iwi in 2013,” he said.
The iwi panels are a way of holding offenders to account while also helping them to address their problems.
The programme was officially launched by King Tu¯ heitia in 2017 as a pathway for police and iwi/ma¯ori partners to deal with minor crime and prevent reoffending.
The panels are made up of community leaders with the knowledge and lived experiences to help people make positive changes in their lives.
“What started with four pilot programmes has now expanded across 21 locations and I am seeing the success of how we can deal with our people, instead of going through the justice system.
“It is not a soft option, which has seen lawyers, judges, politicians attend panels with nothing but absolute praise for the programme.”
Govt investment in Te Pae Oranga in 2021 has been successful in enabling districts to extend the programme to young adults facing similar minor diversional crimes.
“Are the Ma¯ori youth crime numbers getting worse — yes. But is there something we can do about it? Absolutely, and we must look at the long-term investment over generations,” Haumaha said.
“A lot of these young people have suffered horrific harm in their early years. We must give them hope and step up to the challenges we face as well as what these young people have had to face.”
He said the iwi liaison network has made a difference in dealing with offending and victimisation by Ma¯ori.