Moroney Sue: Wanganui District Council (Prohibition of Gang Insignia) Bill — In Committee 
Moroney Sue: Wanganui District Council (Prohibition of Gang Insignia) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:653;Page:2095] 
SUE MORONEY (Labour) 
: 
 That was a very interesting speech from David Garrett in the Committee stage of the Wanganui District Council (Prohibition of Gang Insignia) Bill. It was very difficult to work out whether the member was supporting or opposing clause 3 of the bill. I ask Mr Garrett to just indicate whether he opposes or supports it. 
David Garrett 
: Support. 
SUE MORONEY 
: Oh OK. When Mr Garrett spoke on the purpose of the bill he said it was a very bad bill. I thought that meant that he was going to oppose this particular clause—the purpose of the bill. I think he is quite right; the purpose is actually wrong. The intent is right but the purpose of the bill is quite wrong. It aims to prohibit the display of gang insignia in specified places in one district. That just will not work. 
I congratulate Mr Borrows on bringing this bill forward because—and I think Mr Garrett hit the nail on the head—people in that town are very worried. They are quite desperate about this issue and Mr Borrows has made a reasonable attempt to bring something forward to actually address their concerns and their fears. But unfortunately what he is delivering to them will not work and it will not deal with the fears that they have about the behaviour of gangs in their district. In fact all it will do is drive the whole gang activity underground. It will create opportunities for gangs as they look for other ways of identifying themselves of recruiting and of going about their activities which we in this House all abhor. We do not want them to continue but this bill will actually make the situation somewhat worse. 
I know that a number of my colleagues have already addressed the issue but I am particularly worried about the aspect that Mr Borrows himself addressed and which Metiria Turei and Moana Mackey have spoken about: if gangs are prohibited in a defined area from displaying their insignia they will find other ways to identify themselves. Another way that they will find—and they already do this—is to just use a colour. 
Hon Member 
: They do it now; they do it already. 
SUE MORONEY 
: Exactly. That is what they do already. So I say to Mr Borrows that I am sorry but incidences like the example he gave about the young man being murdered because he was wearing the wrong colour in the wrong place at the wrong time and because there was gang activity going on around him are actually likely to increase under this bill. The gangs will not just go away. They will not just stop their activity because of this bill. Because of the way that they operate they will need to find a way to indicate who they are and where they stand and to continue their activity. They will do that— 
Sandra Goudie 
: Oh for goodness’ sake! 
SUE MORONEY 
: Well Sandra Goudie thinks that the gangs will go away. She believes that this will somehow stop gang activity. It is a nice thought—it is a really nice thought—but it is completely naive I am afraid. 
Gangs will wear colours and the wearing of a red hoodie—or a blue hoodie or any piece of clothing; it need not be a particular style of clothing—will take on even more significance if this bill is passed than what it already has. The colour will be what identifies that the gang is present and its activities are continuing. 
Sandra Goudie 
: Another one who hasn’t read the bill. 
SUE MORONEY 
: Well I actually have read the bill. Mrs Goudie might be interested to know that from time to time I sat on the Law and Order Committee while the submissions were being heard on this bill. I saw and heard a number of people who were very involved in the issue of gangs not because they were gang members themselves but because they were involved in policing gangs and trying to mitigate the effects of gangs on the community. Invariably they came forward to say that this is a nice idea but it will just not work. It is not that simple and in fact it might inadvertently drive up the wrong kinds of behaviours. 
The intent of this bill is correct but I am afraid that the purpose is not. 
Sandra Goudie 
: Read the purpose. 
SUE MORONEY 
: I will read the purpose out. Sandra Goudie seems to want it read out to her. It is very simple; it is one sentence not like a bedtime story: “The purpose of this Act is to prohibit the display of gang insignia in specified places in the district.” It will not work.