Karikari Hapū stand up to meth

The Karikari Peninsula hapū of Te Whanau Moana me Te Rorohuri have declared their total opposition to methamphetamine.

The Karikari Peninsula hapū of Te Whanau Moana me Te Rorohuri have declared their total opposition to methamphetamine in their rohe.

They said yesterday that the drug was destroying whānau and infecting every rohe it entered, and they had had enough.

Haititaimarangai Marae committee chairman Mal Hekeua-Hack said a recent spate of methamphetamine-related crime and "activities" within the hapū had prompted a number of whānau to take steps to address the problem with a staged campaign, with the end goal of ridding the rohe of methamphetamine.

That stance had been confirmed at a discussion among whānau and hapū members at the marae last week.

Kaumātua and kuia, along with their tamaariki and mokopuna, launched the campaign by painting their message on signs around the community, some of which had previously asked motorcyclists and drivers to keep off the sand dunes.

This was just the beginning of the campaign for Te Whānau Moana and Te Rorohuri, however. They planned not only to rid their rohe of the drug, but to educate themselves on how to help and support all whānau affected by it.

"For these whānau and hapū, it's about whānau first, not P, a spokesman said.

"The drug is destroying and infecting every rohe it enters, and we have had enough. It is time for us as whānau and hapū to do something about it."