When asked about how National would prevent youth crime, Luxon said: “If you’re sitting in a garage in South Auckland with your two brothers and you’re thinking about life and where you’re going, consciously or unconsciously, the gang life looks pretty attractive.
“They are the people who have got the money, got all the bling, flash cars and that looks incredibly attractive.
“It does come back to family dynamics as well.”
Sio, who lives in the area, told the Herald Luxon’s comment was an outrageous generalisation of South Auckland youth, racist and dog whistle style politics.
“You’re attacking the South Auckland garage with your dog whistle stereotypes, when if you lived in South Auckland you’d know the garage is a sanctuary for many South Auckland families.
“Garages are places of family gatherings, for worshipping, funerals, 21st birthdays, Christmas celebrations.
“Luxon does not know South Auckland young people because the majority are good law-abiding, who listen to their parents, give back to their communities through sport and the church and lead good lives.
“He is grouping all South Auckland young people in with the very few who get themselves into trouble.”
Luxon said on Tuesday he did not mean to disrespect South Auckland, and was speaking to a “specific example and conversation” he had with community workers in Counties Manukau about what causes young people to be attracted to gang life.
He said he was “sorry if anyone is offended”.
Luxon was asked to clarify if he was sorry for the comments, but avoided giving a clear answer.
“The bottom line is I’m not apologising for having serious, substantive conversations about what causes crime.
“In that case, when I’m sitting there with community workers in South Auckland, and when I asked the question, why do young people join gangs, and they give examples about what they’re talking about, I’m going to talk about those examples.
“That is illustrative of what is going on across New Zealand and other parts of New Zealand that are struggling with poverty as well.”
Luxon said he spent a lot of time in South Auckland, working there and with his electorate Botany bordering Ōtara.
“We’ve got fantastic diversity. It’s a wonderful, vibrant place. But we have to have some courage in this country. If we’re going to talk about challenges around crime, we should be able to talk about things straight up.”
National’s police spokesman Mark Mitchell said Luxon’s comments were fair and rejected accusations he was stereotyping.
“I think he was just making a broad statement. I think most fair-minded Kiwis would agree and say, you know what, he’s highlighting one of the issues that we have to face.”
National’s Papakura MP Judith Collins also backed the party leader.
“I think he’s stating, unfortunately, thankfully, not all young people in South Auckland, but for some, from very disadvantaged families, for those who come from gang families in particular, unfortunate reality.
“I think he’s just trying to say that that’s where a lot of effort needs to go and I fully support putting the effort where it needs to be.”
Health spokesman Dr Shane Reti said he respected the views of the community but didn’t think Luxon’s comments were stereotyping.
“I know that Chris really cares for young people. So no, I didn’t see it that way.”
Sio, who today announced he’d be retiring at the next election, took a parting shot at Luxon when discussing his summer plans.
“I might even go to my South Auckland garage and shoot the breeze with some of my brothers to see what the future looks like.”
