Jones Shane: Manukau City Council (Control of Graffiti) Bill — In Committee 
Jones Shane: Manukau City Council (Control of Graffiti) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:646;Page:15325] 
Hon SHANE JONES (Minister for Building and Construction) 
: 
 I rise to correct the impressions in the minds of the multitude of listeners this evening in the unlikely event that they feel there was one redeeming element in Dr Pita Sharples’ speech. The clear line ahead is that we should support George Hawkins and I must also acknowledge the effort of the other MPs from the Manukau area. I have on earlier occasions been possessed of the thought to refer to one of those members as a pink bat. I am now searching for how I might describe that in our Maori language. I remember that my tupuna from Ngapuhi fought a great battle at Ruapekapeka which means “the nest of the bat”. 
However having said that I note that Mr Hawkins and the other MPs of Manukau live on a regular basis with the effects of tagging. It is a crime. It diminishes status and the sense of community. It spreads fear and it causes people to doubt whether anything can be done to arrest this type of pollution. So I salute the mahi those members are doing together to challenge the taggers. But we know that young people are prone to great flights of fancy and end up doing things that they regret in later life. If members have doubts about that they should just look at Hone Harawira my relation from Te Aupouri tribe. 
That aside Mr Hawkins has brought to our attention as parliamentarians the fact that tagging and graffiti that is allowed to spread unabated wears down ordinary mums and dads because they know that many of the people behind this anti-social behaviour are in gangs. Gangs are only a minority but the fact is that if we do not challenge their influence then we are undermining the spirit of communities that fear that their own children will be forced into options or decisions that arise as a consequence of our lack of diligence in allowing gangs to become normalised. 
That is why I will never ever agree in this Parliament with Dr Pita Sharples that we should indulge gangs and what they represent. I salute the man for the work he has done in the revival of our culture and for being a great supporter of urban Maori initiatives and a proud son of Kahungunu but I will never support his desire that we should indulge or acquiesce with the spread of gang culture which is firstly proliferating through the acceptance of tagging; secondly overlooking the cancerous effect of drugs; and thirdly turning a blind eye to activities that are passed off as graffiti but that are in actual fact a very sinister crime against the spirit that binds a community together. 
So I salute Mr Hawkins and—perish the thought—the other MPs who although they may not belong to the illustrious party that comprises the Government have also made efforts to arrest this attack. I accept that Mr Mark alerted the country to the fact that Dr Sharples during the last election campaign and in a fit of anger when he saw an object poking out of his mouth that was not a cigarette—as a consequence of the efforts of a tagger—saw red. It is a pity he does not vote red but that is another matter. I accept that he was moved to capture that young person and almost dispense some summary justice but the reality is that we need to ensure that the message is amplified. We should have zero tolerance for tagging yet still embrace the rangatahi so that they see a better way. 
But I say to Dr Sharples that there is no way we should indulge justify or apologise for the activities of gangs. They exist on the basis of threats intimidation and violence. They celebrate the fact that they can get their way because “if you stand in their way they will do you away”. Well I say to them “Go to hell!” Kia ora tatou.