LAWRENCE GULLERY
Hastings will be asked to come up with some new initiatives hot on heels of the successful ``Enough is Enough' campaign to stop violent offending in the community.
A forum, called ``After the Hikoi, Where To From Here?' will be held at Te Aranga marae, Flaxmere next week, where initiatives such as ``Kaumatua Rocket Reading' and a ``Flaxmere-style' Neighbourhood Watch programme would be introduced to and discussed with the community.
It has been almost three months since Hastings district councillor Henare O'Keefe organised a hikoi where 2000 people marched from Flaxmere to Hastings to show they had had enough of violence.
Napier MP Chris Tremain, Tukituki MP Craig Foss, Havelock North ward councillor Wayne Bradshaw and Cr O'Keefe said while they had come up with a few ideas, they hoped the community would have the final say.
``We want to bring the community in and let them come up with the answers and be involved. We'll be able to use the marae as a base [to run programmes], as it was intended,' Cr Bradshaw said.
``We want as many people as possible to come to the forum. The hikoi crystallised support and now we are taking the next step.'
The ``Kaumatua Rocket Reading' involved a book drive to establish a library on the marae, a partnership with local schools, volunteer kaumatua and one-on-one reading with children after school.
Another initiative, formed with police, was a ``Flaxmere-style' Neighbourhood Watch programme which would begin with neighbourhood barbecues hosted by community leaders to encourage people to know and look after each other better. The third was to trial a ``Flaxmere Sunday School Community Work Orders' programme at the marae.
It would target young offenders aged 12 to 16 who would perform community work or a supervised challenge designed to build self-esteem and improve behaviour.
The orders would be issued by Flaxmere Police or school principals to youth offenders who would carry no conviction and would not need to appear in court.
The community hui will be held at the Te Aranga marae, Flaxmere, on Wednesday, August 20, at 7pm.
Home invasion case up in air
The 15-year-old charged in relation to the home invasion that stirred up the city in June could have his case moved from the Youth Court to Hastings District Court if police have their way. The teenager is still the only assailant to have been charged in relation to the incident, an attack on a young couple and their baby which became a catalyst for a hikoi through Flaxmere and Hastings highlighting the need to stamp out violence in the community. The youth admitted to two charges involving burglary and intent to cause grievous bodily harm in Hastings Youth Court yesterday. He was the focus of a family group conference held at a local marae recently, where the family of the victims and the defendant came together. His family have opposed calls from police to send his case to district court, but Judge Bridget Mackintosh was still undecided and ordered a psychiatric report be prepared for when he is called up again on September 9. The court also heard how extra security was needed to accompany the teen to court after he allegedly assaulted a staff member at the youth justice residence where he is being held in custody. ``We're trying to do everything we can to get you out of this mess you've got yourself into,' Judge Mackintosh said. ``There's been a big community response to this to this and they [the community] don't like it. ``We've now got to try to sort this out and make sure it doesn't happen again. ``You've got to play the game as well.'
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