Pat Magill (R) and Rev Matt Eru take on the gangs to make Napier more child-friendly. Photo / Paul Taylor
Pat Magill (R) and Rev Matt Eru take on the gangs to make Napier more child-friendly. Photo / Paul Taylor
Two men in their 90s walked up to a Napier Mongrel Mob pad on Wednesday and knocked on the door.
It's not a sight you see every day, but veteran social justice campaigner Pat Magill and Reverend Matt Eru were determined.
They had one main goal in mind - puttinga stop to simmering gang tension between the Mob and Black Power in Napier with a "peace treaty", for the sake of the city's children.
"The kaumatua wants gangs to get on with each other, we want peace within the gangs," Magill said.
The Mongrel Mob gang-pad on Percy Spiller Ave, Maraenui. Photo / NZME
Magill and Eru told Hawke's Bay Today they were welcomed with "open arms" and their meeting went well, although they were reluctant elaborate much further.
The duo then travelled to the house of Black Power life member Denis O'Reilly to promote their cause.
With the aid of a presentation from the rangatahi from Maraenui Bilingual School about what they wanted from their city, they got their point across.
"We need to look at why they [youth] were joining gangs in the first place," Macgill said.
"It's because the system is too tough and they are looking for leadership," he said.
"Gangs should have a peace treaty so children can feel safe and have a better life."
He said it was only when "s*** hit the fan" that people got up and took notice, but it was time to change that.
Social justice campaigner Pat Magill (R) and Rev Matt Eru have a korero with Black Power life member Denis O'Reilly. Photo / Paul Taylor
Through the presentation Magill said youth felt that adults did not listen to them.
"They are not being heard. They see what is happening and are the essence to the solutions of their own needs," Magill said.
"Maybe we need to stop selling alcohol and smokes, maybe we need education on alcohol, drug, health and safety awareness and prevention as well as everyday skills for a healthy lifestyle."
The presentation stated "the police need to know us better like a friend or a family member".
The overarching theme of the presentation was that lack of resources and a clean, safe neighbourhood without drugs, alcohol and gang influences was limiting young people to reach their full potential "like closing them in a box and in that box they will remain".
Magill said the meetings with O'Reilly and Mob leaders was "positive" and he hoped to have more of them in the future.
"There was heaps of goodwill there and we need to bring out that good," he said.
