Police Minister scapegoating gang members and beneficiaries

In a recent interview on the Nation Police Minister Stuart Nash suggested targeting gang members on the benefit who may be suspected of benefit fraud, in an attempt to “go after” them with whatever means possible. Auckland Action Against Poverty is calling on Minister Stuart Nash to withdraw his comments and re-evaluate his approach to gangs.

“Stuart Nash’s comments are ill-fitting for a Government that calls itself progressive. They are irresponsible and dehumanise both gang members and beneficiaries. This sort of reactionary political point scoring ignores the complex realities of gang members and their families, doing nothing but cause further violence and harm”, said Ricardo Menéndez March, spokesperson for Auckland Action Against Poverty.

“This punitive approach to gang members fails to address the complicity that Government has played in the creation of gangs. The failed war on drugs, punitive welfare sanctions, a lack of access to housing, and ongoing colonisation have forced groups of people into the fringes and criminalized them.

“Targeting gang members who are on the benefit will impact their families and children, and further pushing them into homelessness or harmful activities. When you restrict the income of gang members you are restricting the income of their children.

“If the Government is genuinely attempting to address violence in our society, they should start by treating gang members and their families as people deserving of support and compassion, and instead focus on the root issues that drive people into gang activities.

“Stuart Nash approach of waging war on gangs is not based on any evidence based models of justice. If anything, these sorts of approaches overseas have led to increased levels of violence and gang conflict when applied.

“At Auckland Action Against Poverty, through our advocacy work, we know first hand the barriers that gang members face when accessing the welfare and healthcare system. Work and Income already presents barriers to beneficiaries trying to access their full entitlements, and coupling that with the sort of profiling and discrimination gang members face means accessing a benefit becomes increasingly difficult. Without being able to access source of income, many people are forced into criminal activities in other to survive.

“Stuart Nash’s portrayal of women in gangs as victims without agency ignores the work that many women within those communities are already doing to address gender violence. Violence towards women is not an issue that is specific to gangs, and Stuart Nash’s blanket statements about these issues undermines the leadership of the people who are leading the healing processes in their communities.

“The war on gangs is ultimately the war on the poor. The Government ought to try a little kindness and re-evaluate their approach to gang members, instead focusing on ending poverty in Aotearoa.”

ENDS

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