PRESS RELEASE

Shane Taurima

Māori Party candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau

14 August 2017

Taurima: Bootcamps and prison not the answer for our rangatahi

Plans to impose boot camps and imprison rangatahi who have ‘lost their way’ will not work and will not be supported under the Māori Party’s watch, says Māori Party candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau Shane Taurima.

“We see the National Party’s policy for dealing with wayward children as an attack on Māori and Pasifika children and youth, so we’re absolutely opposed to it.

“Their plans will impact the hardest on Māori and Pasifika rangatahi and whānau, and perpetuates the injustice and abuse our people already and continue to experience, in state care,” says Mr Taurima.

“Their plans are archaic and evidence shows that boot camps and prison don’t work. What these children need is a whānau ora approach, kaupapa Māori and more support across social services and education. And that’s exactly what they’ll get under the Māori Party.

“Successive Labour and National governments have failed our young Māori and Pasifika youth.”

Just some of the Māori Party’s plans for youth and justice include:

• Putting a moratorium on the building of any new prisons

• Creating over 3000 new Whānau Ora navigator positions to work with whānau, including youth

• Establish 2,000 Pacific youth scholarships and 300 Pacific youth internships per year

• Appointing mental health youth workers in all high schools

• Introducing a 6 month “earn as you learn” job experience scheme for unemployed youth

• Introduce a 12 month job experience scheme for unemployed youth and pay a Youth Allowance to cover costs arising from employment related activities

• Providing more funding and resources to support marae based youth court and restorative justice programmes

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