Dairies around New Zealand, including those in Kaitaia, staged a protest against rising violence and the death of the Sandringham dairy worker Janak Patel.
Dairies around New Zealand, including those in Kaitaia, staged a protest against rising violence and the death of the Sandringham dairy worker Janak Patel.
Kaitaia dairy owners have joined the movement calling for stronger youth laws and punishment to stop aggravated robberies against their businesses.
The group of around 30 local dairy owners and supporters gathered outside Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis’ Kaitaia office on Monday, chanting, “We want justice, enough is enough”.
Dairies nationwide closed their doors on Monday as part of the nationwide “vigil” for slain Auckland dairy worker Janak Patel.
Patel, 34, was fatally stabbed last week following an alleged aggravated robbery at the Rose Cottage Superette in Sandringham, Auckland.
The protests took place between 12.30-2.30pm, leaving dairies across the township closed for two hours.
Ralph Correa of the Northland Indian Association told NZME protesters were standing in solidarity with the man who was killed and wanted to protest a lack of action on crime.
“We want a safer community and we want people held to justice,” he said.
“There’s a lot of talk, and [the Government is] saying there’s minimal crime when it’s just the opposite.”
The Northland Age approached several Kaitaia dairy owners for an interview who declined to comment.
MP Davis said no level of crime was acceptable and was aware of the concerns of the community.
He claimed crime had been trending down, but acknowledged there had been a spike in retail crime.
“We have responded to this with the most significant crime prevention financial package in recent memory, which includes a new $4 million fund to support local council’s crime prevention,” Davis said.
“These are important measures to improve community safety, but we must also address the drivers of crime and as a Government we are committed to that work as well.”
Kaitaia Business Association chairwoman and project lead for the Te Hiku Open Spaces Revitalisation Project, Andrea Panther, said she only found out about the protest after seeing a video on social media.
She said if she had known about the event, she and others from the local business community would have got behind the dairy owners.
“I certainly didn’t know about it, and if I did, I would have totally supported what they’re trying to do,” Panther said.
“We’ve been doing what we can to try to help in that space because we know crime is just getting out of hand.
“One thing we recently did was place a planter box in front of the alleyway that runs parallel to the Central Dairy on Commerce St.
Kaitaia Business Association chairwoman Andrea Panther.
“We’d been receiving complaints about cars parking there and the risk to pedestrians, but it also serves as a barrier to a potential ram-raid.”
Panther said other business associations from around the region had also agreed there was a greater need for a local presence to deter crime and disorderly behaviour.
She said the business community had raised their concerns at a recent meeting with Far North mayor Moko Tepania, with Tepania allegedly making a commitment to address the issue with central government.
“We used to have Street Mates and Māori Wardens, which meant there were people out on the streets with mana who were treated with respect by our community,” Panther said.
“We need to get that kind of presence back here in the Far North.
“I’m therefore looking forward to seeing what Moko has to say at our next meeting.”
On the same night news broke of the slain Sandringham shopkeeper, around 100 locals packed the Mangōnui Hall in response to a call for community-led solutions to combat crime in Doubtless Bay.
FNDC Māori ward councillor Hilda Halkyard-Harawira, councillor Felicity Foy and Te Hiku Community Board Doubtless Bay subdivision representative Sheryl Bainbridge address the crowd at Mangōnui Hall last Wednesday.
The hui [meeting] was called by Justin Maxwell, a Mangōnui resident and business owner, who said locals were at breaking point following an increase in crime and poor social behaviour in the area.
Representatives from NZ Police, district councillors and the Mangōnui Lions Club addressed the crowd, offering their ideas and ways of providing support moving forward.
One resident told the crowd about an incident where he had allegedly called 111 three times due to a vehicle doing burnouts on his road.
The resident alleged no one from the police had responded, and it wasn’t until he approached them directly with the threat of “going vigilante” that anything was followed up.
Sergeant Michelle Row, from Kaikohe Police, said there was only one police officer stationed at the Mangōnui police station.
She said the best thing to do in that kind of situation was to continue to call 105 and capture any video or photographic evidence of the crime.
“There is a lot going on across the Mid-Far North, so we can only do what we can do, and don’t have a magic wand to be everywhere,” Row said.
Doubtless Bay Promotions chairman Justin Maxwell says the community is at breaking point and he's worried someone is going to get seriously hurt or killed as a result.
“My advice for anything that you see that is non-urgent is to just keep ringing 105.
“Yes, they will get annoyed by you ringing them all the time, but you are reporting an offence that is happening that is non-urgent, and we need to collate what is happening in an area to be able to address it.”
Another resident raised the idea of CCTV being installed at key points around Doubtless Bay, as well as better lighting on roads such as Paradise Road.
“I am part of a consolidation project for CCTV cameras throughout the Mid-North to be monitored in Kaitaia,” Row said.
“This is already being done in Paihia and Kaitaia, and there is a discussion about that being done here in Mangōnui, too.
“I think that in itself will be a good preventative measurement of crime and crime reduction in respect to what’s been happening here.”
Te Hiku Community Board Doubtless Bay Subdivision representative Sheryl Bainbridge said the board was working closely with the council and the local community to look at possible solutions to managing crime in Doubtless Bay.
“At the moment, we’re getting prices for judder bars at Māori Point Reserve to hopefully stop people from skidding and doing burnouts there,” Bainbridge said.
“If there’s funding left for this year that will be done fairly shortly; otherwise it will be part of the annual plan for next year.”
Far North District councillor Felicity Foy said both Waterfront Rd and Māori Point Reserve fell under the council’s jurisdiction and would be considered as part of the current spatial planning for all of Doubtless Bay.
Foy said while there weren’t funds to get everything implemented this year, they could plan for long-term solutions such as CCTV and other measures to help combat crime.
“This summer is a really relevant timeframe to consider, especially with the tourism influx,” Foy said.
“We’re fortunate to have been provided funding from central government through the Responsible Camping Fund for kaitiaki rangers, which includes this area.
“So, I think the areas that are an issue - we need to highlight that as part of what needs to be monitored this summer.”
Further to the Mangōnui meeting, two sessions were also held for people interested in joining a Community Patrol in Doubtless Bay last night.
Cable Bay resident Gerry Casey, supported by the Mangōnui Lions Club, said he was inspired to set up a community patrol in Doubtless Bay after seeing the success of the programme in Leigh.
