Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced that he has received and accepted the resignation of Police Minister Stuart Nash.
Video / Mark Mitchell
Community advocate and lifetime gang member Dennis O’Reilly says dumped Police Minister Stuart Nash got exactly what he deserved because of his dog whistle politics against Māori and gangs.
Nash was stripped of the police portfolio after revealing this week in a Mike Hosking Newstalk ZB radio interview that he called Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to appeal a judgment on the gun buy-back law two years ago.
Community advocate Dennis O'Reilly. Photo / File
O’Reilly, who lives in Hawke’s Bay, says he likes Nash, but like many politicians, he played to the prejudices of the mainstream population about matters Māori and gangs.
“He did the same thing here [in Hawke’s Bay] when there was the false accusation gangs are out looting around the place,” O’Reilly told Waatea News.Com.
“His comment was ‘why don’t you take your patches off and get stuck in,’ and that was exactly what those lads were doing, and they weren’t doing it as members of gangs, they were doing it as members of whānau, they were looking after old people, they were rescuing taonga.”
Napier social worker Cherie Kurarangi agreed with O’Reilly. She works with gangs and their whānau.
Gang social worker Cherie Kurarangi. Photo / Supplied
She said the rhetoric that looting gang members were the ones causing chaos in the area after Cyclone Gabrielle was wrong.
Looting had become a widespread issue in the area following the flooding and people were quick to point the finger at gang members, she said.
Kururangi, a māmā wāhine, said what started as a whisper about gangs being responsible for looting quickly turned into social media fact.
“Gangs are an easy scapegoat and have been for too long,” Kurarangi said.
“I am dedicated and passionate about my work in supporting gang whānau because that is what will make a difference, not complaining and judgement.”
The Herald asked police if the looters were gang members or associates.
“In the days following Cyclone Gabrielle, police noticed the gang tensions that had existed pre-cyclone were returning,” a spokesperson said.
“Unfortunately these tensions are not new for Eastern District.
“Before Cyclone Gabrielle occurred, police had launched Operation Kōtare, focussing on the disruption, suppression, and prevention of unlawful behaviour involving gangs.
“This operation continues. We want our communities to be assured that police have high visibility across the district, and we will not tolerate unlawful behaviour.
“We ask anyone who witnesses criminal activity or behaviour that is unsafe, please call 111 as soon as possible with as much detail as you can.”
A spokesperson for Nash said the MP would not be commenting further on the loss of the police portfolio.
