Anti-P focus of pre-Waitangi Day hikoi

Reti Boynton at last year's pre-Waitangi Day hikoi against the Trans Pacific Partnership. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Environmental issues are usually the focus of the annual pre-Waitangi Day hikoi but this year organisers have decided to focus on raising awareness around the impact of methamphetamine.

The hikoi is not so much a protest, organiser Janeen Rapira said. It's more about awareness and support.

"This isn't the usual kind of kaupapa we take to Waitangi. We usually join in the hikoi and do all the environmental stuff," she said.

"We were getting quite a few calls from whanau and friends asking for support and there was a lot of violent meth-fuelled incidents happening. We thought perhaps a good idea was to do a rangatahi led hikoi."

Methamphetamine has been a topical issue in Northland. A record-breaking 494kg of P was seized on Ninety Mile Beach and Totara North in June last year and in October former prime minister John Key announced $3 million seized from criminals under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act will go towards a joint police and Ministry of Health initiative to reduce P demand in Northland.

Meanwhile, the results of Massey University's 2015 New Zealand Arrestee Drug Use Monitoring Programme Report, funded by police, showed more Whangarei prisoners are using meth.

"We saw a need to bring awareness to it. To raise consciousness around it. To try to support our rangatahi.

"There is a huge need for some kind of response or action. But we're hoping this will prompt a lot more discussion afterwards," said Ms Rapira.

The hikoi will leave Cape Reinga on February 1, travel through Kaitaia on February 2 and it will arrive in Kaikohe on February 3.

On February 4 the hikoi will be in Moerewa and Kawakawa and it will arrive in Waitangi on February 5.

Reti Boynton, another organiser, said he was hoping throughout the hikoi people will speak about what they would like to see happen to tackle meth.

"I'm really interested in what our people have to say. I'm interested in the everyday people that are living in this problem. It is having an impact on all of us on a major level."

- For more information on the hikoi and how to help with resources contact Ms Rapira on 0226512933 or Mr Boynton on 0211443875.