Corrections report paints Flaxmere community as ‘Mongrel Mob affiliated’

Residents of the Flaxmere neighbourhood dispute Corrections' characterisation. Photo / Dean Purcell

A tight-knit Hawke’s Bay community is outraged at a Corrections report that paints them as a gang neighbourhood.

All 17 residents of Arklow Place, a small cul-de-sac in Flaxmere, have signed a petition that Corrections has stigmatised them as being “Mongrel Mob affiliated”.

“Community Probation recently submitted a heavily gang stigmatised and negatively reflective report on the community of Arklow Place, Hastings,” a neighbourhood report compiled by Community advocate Cherie Kurarangi said.

Flaxmere Community advocate Cherie Kurarangi says Arklow Place has been negatively stigmatised by Corrections. Photo / Christine Cornege

“This has been very disheartening for the local whānau community and many have come together to express their concerns. In fact 17 households from the whānau community have put their name, phone numbers and signatures towards this report to ascertain fact from fiction and also to support their little Cul De Sac from this type of negative stigmatisation and ensure their Mana is being upheld.”

Kurarangi said of the 17 homes in Arklow Place, two properties are empty and one is a bare section.

“The area is predominantly Maori Pasifika but also have Filipino and Asian whānau residing here as well. The main population being family. The Asian neighbour was quite adamant she is not a gang member,” Kurarangi said.

“Although Community Probation have stigmatised this cul-de-sac as a ‘Gang Area’ We can ascertain that in fact only one home on this street has a gang member living there.

“The rest are in fact families with a make up of preschoolers and primary aged tamariki living with their parents and also their grandparents. This community refutes the gang claims made and this stigma has been very upsetting for some of them.”

Corrections make these types of assessments for the Parole Board when they are considering a release plan for an inmate.

Liz Hawthorn, Corrections Regional Commissioner for the Lower North Island, said such information is provided outlining the suitability of their proposed release address.

“Public safety and a person’s ability to safely and successfully reintegrate following their release from prison is our top priority.

“We carry out an extensive and robust process to assess the suitability of every proposed release address, and when we provide information to the New Zealand Parole Board we have to outline these considerations, including any potential risks related to both the property itself and the wider community.

“We look at a range of factors for any proposed release address, including the location of victims, other occupants at the property including any children or people subject to community sentences, physical factors such as shared access, location of support services, and the ability to ensure a clear GPS signal at all times.

“We consult with other agencies, including Oranga Tamariki and Police, and use the information they provide in our assessments and the information we provide to the New Zealand Parole Board.”

But Kurarangi wants up-to-date and better neighbourhood assessments.

“We are not a gang neighbourhood.

“Once a neighbourhood becomes negatively stigmatised, it is hard for them to come back from that,” she said.