Cosgrove Clayton: Gangs and Organised Crime Bill — In Committee 
Cosgrove Clayton: Gangs and Organised Crime Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:658;Page:7523] 
Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE (Labour—Waimakariri) 
: 
 I commend you Mr Chairperson on your tolerance and on the way in which I think you have let this debate flow somewhat more widely than being simply on Part 3 which deals with aggravating factors at sentencing. Items have of course been brought to the debate that I think require answers. Mr Jones Mr Flavell and Mr Garrett I think have made points that are relevant as we deal holistically with the insidious nature of gangs. 
I am taking a short call to address as my colleague Mr Jones did Mr Flavell’s speech. It was full of emotion and quite rightly so. Although he talked about the aggravating factors that had occurred in Murupara where communities had been put upon and where fatalities had occurred I must say in addressing what he said that he told the Chamber that he would not be supporting this bill—and I assume this part Part 3 which deals with aggravating factors. Mr Flavell is essentially saying that it is OK for those on the marae to lead the charge as he rightly pointed out. But he is also saying I think and as Mr Garrett alluded to that it is OK for his leader to meet with gangs and somehow put gang leaders on a platform. There has been a lot of debate about that of course in the community: is it a good thing or is it a bad thing to see them eye to eye and to spend $6500 of taxpayers’ money doing it? It is OK of course to have gangs expunged from the marae and shunned from it and to have those good people in our communities take that fight to the gangs but the Maori Party is not prepared to support this legislation and Part 3 particularly and in supporting this legislation to support their own communities—the kaumatua the kuia and the others who are out there on the front line as Mr Flavell quite rightly points out doing their bit. They do not have to spend $6500 of taxpayers’ money doing it but they are telling people to get off the marae. My colleague Shane Jones leant across and said to me that in terms of expunging gangs from the marae up in his part of the world that was tried 20 years ago yet we are no further ahead. 
I say to the Maori Party that I would like a reason why it will not support this bill why it will not support Part 3 and why that party thinks it is appropriate to posture here in the Chamber and leave the fight back home out there. This issue is cross-cultural. This is not just a Maori problem; there are predominantly white gangs. We can have a look at the Christchurch  
Press 
 this morning and read about them in the  
Dominion Post 
. This is not about culture. Like Mr Jones whether they be brown white or any other colour or creed I do not consider members of gangs “our people” our citizenry or part of our community. They are thugs murderers and rapists; they are those who do immense harm to our community. So I would be grateful if at least for the Maori Party’s own constituency Mr Flavell could get up and tell us why the kuia the kaumatua and our communities are left to take the battle against the gangs back in the home patch and on the marae and why hang on the Maori Party which purports to represent all Maori—I think wrongly because that is ridiculous—will not stand up and support a bill that I think has most if not all parties’ support to crack down on the insidious nature of gang activity. 
I mean how many young people have to be killed young women raped or young people put into a life of crime and enticed by drugs alcohol and the other things that are peddled by these gangs? What will it take for the Maori Party to get the message right and consistent instead of giving the strong message in here but the weak message out there? That Maori Party leader cannot meet with gangs have lunch with them spend six and a half grand on them and then go around telling everyone that it was a great cultural experience and part of giving the message to gangs. That happened in June and Mr Garrett and other members have spoken of the fatalities that have happened since then. The gang activity has rolled on. 
I believe we should not give gangs a platform of equal status to anyone—not just to politicians but to anyone in our community—because in doing so it is recognised that somehow and in some way gangs are legitimate. Whether gangs be white Maori Pacific Island Asian or whatever their activities are insidious they are not part of our culture or community and they should never be recognised. I invite the Maori Party to respond.