Tashita Morey's 13-year-old daughter was attacked at the Arawa St bus stop in Rotorua last month.
Ahead of the election, the Rotorua Daily Post is asking Rotorua and Waiariki candidates what they and their parties would do to help some of the people who have recently shared their struggles and stories with our readers. Next up is Tashita Morey, whose daughter was violently and randomly attacked at a Rotorua bus stop.
Tashita Morey’s 13-year-old daughter was left bloodied and bruised after she was repeatedly punched in the face last month by a stranger while waiting for a bus outside Rotorua Library.
She had to recover from a concussion, split lip, swollen nose, a tender jawline and bumps on her head.
The kids “know they can get away with it”, she said at the time.
“They know that when they go through the system, all they have to do is say sorry.”
When asked what Morey wanted to see changed after this year’s election, she said she wanted to seeRotorua become a safer community. She did not want to see funding for community wardens, security cameras and police staffing in the Rotorua city centre cut.
Rotorua mother Tashita Morey's daughter, 13, was violently beaten at a Rotorua bus stop outside the library last month.
Rotorua candidate responses
Kariana Black-Vercoe (New Zeal)
It is so unacceptable, the level of bullying in our city, and I agree having more surveillance, wardens and police is not the only solution in our hands. Bystanderism is a problem, when eyewitnesses to an assault do or say nothing to deter perpetrators of assault-crime. As said at a candidate’s event the other night - the public being proactive in de-escalating offenders in a non-threatening way may help. My prayers are with you and your family.
Todd McClay (National)
As a father of a daughter, hearing of this young lady being violently assaulted is heartbreaking and distressing. Rotorua used to be a safe place for our young and our vulnerable and many families now tell me they consider moving elsewhere because it has changed. As Rotorua MP in a National-led Government, I will ensure our police have the resources and tools to keep our citizens safe to catch violent criminals. Parents also need to take personal responsibility for their kids who are getting into trouble, a teenager should be at school not fighting in the street.
Merepeka Raukawa-Tait (Te Pāti Māori)
Kia ora Tashita. A senseless and unprovoked act of violence. I am sorry your beautiful daughter experienced this assault. Many of the perpetrators of opportunistic, out-of-the-blue crimes are secondary students. School assemblies could share messages about what bullying, intimidation and narcissistic behaviour look like. When recognised by fellow students, they start to lose their adoring, but gullible fans. There should always be consequences for criminal offending, that’s what it is, and families can no longer escape the fact they are setting their children up for a crap future when they excuse their offending. Family environment matters.
Marten Rozeboom (Act New Zealand)
Dear Tashita, I cannot imagine the emotion you experienced seeing your daughter injured. As a father, my greatest fear was my sons being injured. Freedom of movement is a basic right and it’s being taken from us. That is why I will support an increase in police numbers based on population. I will work with Rotorua council to ensure high-foot-traffic areas have camera coverage and community wardens. I trust the physical scars have healed but emotional ones may take time. I look forward to the day news items do not include assaults and freedom of movement is assured.
Ben Sandford (Labour Party)
Tashita, I’m truly sorry for what you and your family have been through, no one should experience that. We need to make our communities safer. To do this we have announced 300 new police for NZ, as your MP I will advocate for Rotorua to get our share. We also need to prevent crime by fixing the causes of crime. We need to lift people out of poverty, get people into houses, and get mental health and addiction services to those in need. Fixing the causes takes time and I will fight to make sure Rotorua gets the resources it needs.
Independent candidate John Naera was also approached for comment.
Waiariki candidate responses
Charles Tiki Hunia (Vision New Zealand)
Everyone deserves the right to feel safe within our communities. Vision NZ will not cut funding, rather one of our responses would be to introduce Community Safety Units (CSUs) in cities that are crime hotspots throughout New Zealand, Rotorua would be one of those. These CSUs will feature strong robust Kiwi men who will instil a healthy, no-nonsense message in our communities. These CSUs will be professionally trained by the police in the matters of negotiation, de-escalation, crisis intervention, social service and more. Rotorua is my city and I am fully invested to see our city safe again.
Kia ora Tashita, As a pāpā and uncle myself, our tamariki should not have to deal with that disgusting behaviour and prospect of being unsafe while waiting for their bus home. We will continue to support the mahi of the city safe guardians, police and Māori wardens and increase access to victim support. Violence is a learned behaviour, often from exposure in the home and socioeconomic factors like poverty and deprivation. We have to ensure the basics such as kai, a roof, health and education aren’t unachievable to prevent violence, ensuring a safe Rotorua. Ka nui te aroha.
Labour candidate Toni Boynton was also approached for comment.
Editor’s note: Submissions may have been edited.
Michaela Pointon is an NZME reporter based in the Bay of Plenty and was formerly a feature writer.
