Tangi Utikere on boot camp at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice Residence

Tangi Utikere, MP for Palmerston North, says the Capital Connection is a critical rail service for the lower North Island.

THREE KEY FACTS

• The Government has reintroduced boot camps to crack down on serious youth offenders.
• The first pilot camp features a military-style component and a “rehabilitative and trauma-informed care approach”.
• New Zealand has a 50-year track record with military-style boot camps for unruly youths.

Tangi Utikere, MP for Palmerston North

OPINION

Many of you will be aware of the pilot “boot camp” for youth offenders which has recently begun at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice Residence in Palmerston North.

Ten young people have begun the 12-month programme, despite evidence that military-style approaches are ineffective at reducing reoffending and harmful to young people.

Recently I hosted Labour’s justice spokesperson, Dr Duncan Webb, in Palmerston North. He is extremely concerned military-style boot camps are being run when there is a wealth of good evidence that shows us pragmatic solutions to quickly deal with a young person’s behaviour, alongside wider issues in the family – such as Labour’s successful circuit-breaker programme – can reduce offending.

It’s disappointing that despite youth advocates and the current Government acknowledging its effectiveness, and the success of this approach, National is still choosing to invest in military-style boot camps.

I think investing in youth workers, youth aid officers, social workers and rehabilitative support would be a better way to increase safety in our communities now and into the future.

Duncan and I also visited CBD retailers to speak about retail crime and other issues they face. It was disappointing to hear about common tactics used by thieves, and how they affect retailers.

The recent significant thefts from two local stores have further highlighted this issue and retailers’ need for support in this area.

Many Palmy locals use the Capital Connection to regularly travel to and from Wellington. The lower North Island’s passenger rail system is a critical service, which is why in Budget 2023 Labour committed to investing in 18 new trains for the Wairarapa and Capital Connection rail services.

I’ve always advocated for these new trains and was delighted with Labour’s commitment, as I considered it a game-changer for Palmerston North commuters, ensuring stronger, more frequent and more environmentally-friendly services along the Manawatū line.

Despite what I see as National reheating the announcement of a project already under way and already budgeted for by Labour, disappointingly, it has not committed to the new trains being hybrid-electric, as Labour did.

I continue to hold monthly Palmy Pop-ups and Coffee and Politics events and value the opportunity to hear your thoughts.

If you would like more details, or to make an appointment to meet with me, please contact my office on 06 356 5958 or palmerston.north@parliament.govt.nz, or follow me on Facebook.