Voices raised at Otane¯ meeting
Questions — and voices — were raised by O¯ tane residents at last week’s community meeting, called by Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga to discuss a residential programme for Ma¯ ori women who have been in prison.
Last week Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga announced a planned rehabilitation programme — E Hine — to be run at the Te Waireka residential facility in White Road, O¯ tane.
Te Waireka was formerly used by Central Health to run a residential drug rehabilitation centre for youth, but this was closed two years ago after Central Health was purchased by Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga (TToH).
At last week’s meeting, which¯attracted 250 people, some Otane locals were vocal about what they perceived to be a lack of consultation with the community before TToH’s decision to run the programme — under contract to the Department of Corrections — in the town.
Residents also wanted assurances that break-ins, theft and intimidation they claimed was caused by youth from the previous drug rehab programme would not recur once the women took up residence under the E Hine programme.
Present at the meeting were TToH board chairman Mike Paku, CEO George Reedy, COO Waylyn Tauhiri Whaipakanga, programme manager Diana MacDonald and programme co-ordinator Sheree Davis.
George Reedy apologised to the residents for the lack of early consultation, explaining that despite the programme having 10 months of planning behind it, TToH had not been able to make any formal announcement until the contract with corrections had been signed.
He said there was no secrecy behind the programme and he, Mr Paku and the TToH staff were there to answer any questions the residents had.
On security, Ms Tauhiri-Whaipakanga said the women who would come to the programme had either served their time or had not been sentenced to prison. They were free to be in the community but had chosen to come to Te Waireka to “heal and go forward without offending,” she said.
“They have to meet strict criteria to be on the E Hine programme. They will be under supervision 24 hours a day, seven days a week and they will have a very full timetable of activities learning life skills, budgeting, cooking, fitness and nutrition. They will have cultural activities, education programmes and job skills. They won’t be permitted to leave Te Waireka unsupervised.
“These are women who want to be here,” she said. The pilot programme will house up to 12 women who will stay for six months. The Department of Corrections will monitor the effectiveness of the programme with a view to rolling it out nationally.
Many residents remained unconvinced, demanding to know what level of offenders would be brought into the community.
“What promises can you give us that we will be safe?” asked Beckie Gartner. Concerns were raised about property values once the programme was established, and possible impact on the school roll due to Te Waireka being 500m from O¯ tane Primary School. Other residents said they would support E Hine.
“I see the fear,” said resident Leslie Peni, “but these are women who have had a hard time. You are going on about the trouble we had before. These women aren’t even here yet. Give them a chance. Everyone should be backing this.”