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| Matthew Tukaki |
New Zealand Herald. 27 Dec, 2021
National Maori Authority chairman Matthew Tukaki has called on the New Zealand government to turn back the planes bringing Australian deportees
A Māori leader has slammed the Australian Government's policy of returning people with criminal convictions - known as 501s - as the prime cause of an increase in gang-related violence in Auckland.
His comments follow a spate of shootings, including alleged homicides in Flat Bush and Mt Roskill within the last week.
National Maori Authority chairman Matthew Tukaki, also warned of Sydney-style gang wars and called on the New Zealand government to turn back the planes bringing the deportees here.
Tukaki, who has long been involved in the area of returnees on both sides of the Tasman said it was pointless to blame New Zealand politicians, regardless of whether they were National or Labour.
"Let's be really clear here – there have been concerns for the last several years that new gangs and chapters are getting a foothold in New Zealand because of the rising tide of returnees known as the 501s.
"To be frank we saw it as far back as Waikeria and we are seeing now with an increase in gun-related violence in Auckland. The latest shootings are an indicator of that."
"The truth is these violent thugs and criminals don't care two hoots about the community, they don't care about culture or tikanga, they care solely about establishing their criminal enterprise.
"They have no or little attachment to New Zealand and many of them, while they may have been born here, have been raised in Australia – they are products of the Australian environment – and through that environment they have connections, they have links and they have supply chains," Tukaki said.
"In turn we can potentially expect to see tension between these newly established gangs and existing ones that could see an ever greater increase in gun violence in Auckland – we could see gangland wars similar to those that occurred in both Sydney and Melbourne in the early 2000s if we are not careful."
Tukaki said the flights of returnees took a break during the latest Delta outbreak but are increasing in number. He also weighed in to support the police:
"The police need the extra resources to increase their surveillance and intelligence but we need to go further we need to strengthen those links wherever possible with the Australian authorities. And to be frank, while our border controls have been about keeping Delta out we need to increase resources and invest more to stop criminal enterprise coming across the border."
"The reality is when these people come back to New Zealand, some but not all, don't give two hoots about the benefit or wrap-around support – why would you when you can make twenty, thirty times that amount in a single drop through criminal activity?"
"In my mind there is now only one solution left – turn the planes around and make a point to the Australian Government that New Zealand is not the dumping ground for your criminals. Australia should be used to that, given what they did with the Tampa all those years ago."
Tukaki's comments followed more gunshots on Auckland suburban streets as Christmas ticked over to Boxing Day. For all the article, including comments by politicians, click here.
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