Mitchell Mark: Prohibition of Gang Insignia in Government Premises Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Mitchell Mark: Prohibition of Gang Insignia in Government Premises Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 29 August 2012. Volume:683;Page:4883. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
MARK MITCHELL (National—Rodney) 
: 
 It is my great pleasure to stand in support of this bill the Prohibition of Gang Insignia in Government Premises Bill. I just want to come back to what my colleague Mr Little said. Let us have a look at what a gang patch actually means. What does a gang patch mean? What does it signify? How does a prospective gang member actually earn the right to wear a gang patch? Is it because he helps an elderly woman across the street? Is it because he has learnt how to tie a bowline knot or demonstrated an ability to build a campfire? No it is not. 
Normally a prospect will start with what gangs consider the small stuff: breaking into people’s homes stealing anything they can find of value and often damaging people’s homes. And you know what? They may even leave a calling card like urinating or defecating on furniture or bedding. Then there will be the progression into armed robberies serious assaults and drug offences. But to really prove that they are serious about becoming a good patched gang member they will find a victim to rape or to really make a name for themselves they might even kill someone. Every time you look at a gang patch or insignia ask yourself this question: what crime against our society has that person committed and how many victims have been left in the wake of their efforts to earn that patch? 
Although I stand here now proud to be a member of this Parliament there was a time when in a previous role I was required to deal with gang members constantly. I can assure this House that an important goal for any gang or gang member is to develop a reputation for being as dangerous menacing and intimidatory as possible whether this is through reputation or appearance. The wearing of a gang patch is designed to do two things and two things only. One is to identify the gang that they are a member of and the other thing is to try to intimidate all those around them. 
I just want to congratulate Minister Tolley and Minister Collins because—you are right Mr Little—they are turning up the heat on gangs and have been turning up the heat on gangs since 2008. And we have to keep doing that. We have to keep doing that. I congratulate my colleague—I congratulate my colleague— 
Todd McClay 
: Todd McClay. 
MARK MITCHELL 
: —Todd McClay. I just want to raise something and speak about something that was brought up through the media by Mr Harawira. I cannot use the exact words that he said but basically he indicated that you know what Mr McClay does not really know anything about gangs so what the hell is he talking about? Well I can assure you after having worked in Rotorua and Mr McClay is the representative for Rotorua that although it is a wonderful place—it has got the lakes it has got geothermal activity and it has got lots of cultural events there—there is one thing it does suffer from and that is a gang problem. It has a bad gang problem. So Mr McClay witnesses the effects of that and witnesses the destruction of his community. In actual fact there are probably not many MPs around the country who have to deal with and confront gang problems as much as Mr McClay does. I congratulate him on bringing this bill to the House. He could have made it a local bill and it is not. It is a bill that is going to have an impact nationally on the negative effects that our communities suffer in relation to gangs. 
I would just like to say that when my mum or my daughters walk into a Government office I do not want them to have to see gang members walking around with patches on because those patches signify one thing and that is that they have committed crimes against our society. It is as simple as that. Thank you.