Community organisations across the motu are concerned about the harm that the Ram Raid Bill will have on our children
and our communities and are calling for the Bill to be scrapped.
A group of over 30 organisations is preparing to deliver a petition to political leaders on Wednesday 26 June, at 12pm
at the steps of parliament.
This collective of organisations, community leaders, scholars and health practitioners is calling on all political
parties to scrap the Ram Raid Bill. Instead, the Government must work together to develop a unified response to address
community concerns about children in conflict with the law.
The Ram Raid Bill was previously introduced by the last Labour Government and would allow the courts to further
criminalise children as young as 12.
“We are concerned that this will result in further harm to children and will funnel some of our most significantly
harmed and structurally disadvantaged kids into the justice system,” says Aaron Hendry, founder and director of Kick
Back.
“The Government should be well aware by now that children who come into conflict with the law often come from
backgrounds of trauma and disadvantage. By channelling these tamariki into the criminal justice system, this Bill will
only serve to continue a vicious cycle of intergenerational harm,” says Hendry.
The group is particularly concerned that the Bill is ignoring evidence-based solutions for the sake of political
expediency.
Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand’s Campaign Director, Lisa Woods, says, “Forcing children through criminal
proceedings at such a formative age can cause lasting harm to their health, wellbeing, and future. That’s why
international human rights experts are calling on our government to raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least
14. This is a recommendation based on extensive evidence that children need to be treated as children, with
consideration for their ongoing brain development.”
Signatories to the petition are calling on political leaders to work across political differences and commit to the
development of a cross-party accord on youth justice, one grounded in evidence and informed by the lived experience of
tamariki, whānau and affected communities.
The member organisations have invited each political leader to meet them at 12pm on Wednesday 26 June on the steps of
parliament to receive an open letter and petition. If your organization would like to sign their name to the petition
and open letter, please reach out to Aaron Hendry on ajhendry@kickbackmakechange.org.
The collective includes:
Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand
Ara Taiohi, peak body for youth development in Aotearoa
Auckland Action Against Poverty
Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW)
Barnardos Aotearoa
Canterbury Howard League for Penal Reform
Community Law Centres of Aotearoa
Celia Lashlie Trust
Dr. Enys Delmage, Consultant in Adolescent Forensic Psychiatry
Dr. Luke Fitzmaurice-Brown
Dr. Sue Bagshaw
Disabled Persons Assembly NZ
FASD-CAN
Family for Every Child
JustSpeak
Korowai Tupu, professional association for Youth Work in Aotearoa Kick Back
Key Assets New Zealand
Mana 2022 Inc.
NZCCSS
Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou
People Against Prisons Aotearoa
START
Save the Children
Talitonu Te Kaha
Te Tahi Youth
Trauma-informed Educators NZ
The Collaborative Trust
Youth Hub Christchurch
VOYCE - Whakarongo-Mai
Wellington Howard League
YouthLaw Aotearoa
Youth Arts New Zealand
Zeal