The Mana executive would not support the execution of Chinese methamphetamine importers, but president Lisa McNab was impressed with founder Hone Harawira's latest display of his ability to grab public attention.
"Fighting the devastation caused by meth in Maori communities is something Hone has been doing since he got out of Parliament (in 2014), and we are seeing the fruits of his work in the Fight the P Fight Night held recently in Kaitaia, his work with the rugby league community across the Far North and with the gangs, and his Open the Curtains initiative, which is helping bring people together to build a park for their kids in one of the toughest parts of Kaitaia," Ms McNab said.
"Hone is working across all sectors of society on this, including the police, the district health boards, gangs, lawyers, sports clubs, doctors, the unemployed, drug users, drug reformers, hospital administrators, Army personnel, criminology students, teachers, social service providers, community activists, churches and judges."
"He has seen up close how P destroys people's ability to think rationally, the friction it causes within whanau, and the breakdown of trust in communities when addicts start lying, stealing, borrowing, bullying, bashing and bludging off those closest to them to feed their habit. And he's been to tangi where his nephews have died because of P.
"We understand the rationale behind Hone's comments about the execution of those caught smuggling meth or its precursors into New Zealand - stop the drugs at the source and you reduce the harm that those drugs can cause to all New Zealand citizens, including Maori - but the MANA executive does not support capital punishment."
