Craig Cooper: Hawke's Bay meth / Mob programme tainted by the patch

Hopefully, Kahukura graduates are ex-Mob members getting sober, to leave the gang life.

OPINION

When a Dannevirke chapter of the Mongrel Mob complained the public was forming prejudicial views, before giving them a chance to prove they were nice guys, the collective snort of derision could be heard across the Bay.

Down in Mangatainoka, they hauled the biggest 'yeah right' Tui billboard they have, out of storage

If you align yourself with the Mongrel Mob, you stand next to a tainted brand associated with drugs, crime, intimidation and violence.

Ugly, sometimes fatal violence.

It's simple - New Zealanders are unlikely to give someone wearing a Mob patch a fair go.

Take the patch off, and it's a different story.

But the name, the patch, has become too detested by the general public - hence the Dannevirke group's public relations problem.

And hence the cynicism toward a $2.75 million drug rehabilitation programme led by the Mongrel Mob in Central Hawke's Bay.

Kahukura is a live-in marae-based programme that will address trauma and drug behaviour.

The money is coming from proceeds of crime seized from gangs and criminals by police.

Named Kahukura, the live-in marae-based programme is going to address trauma and drug behaviour. It is targeting meth.

Rehabilitation programmes on marae have positive track records.

As others have pointed out, not much else is working when it comes to quelling the meth tsunami.

Sadly, were it not for the Mob's name attached to it, Kahukura would immediately be welcomed.

Because in theory, it's a great concept - taking drug money off criminals and using it to heal people.

The anti-Labour political reaction has been predictable - 'is this a joke?'.

If it is a joke, we've been given the punch line - now we need to back up and understand the set-up.

The unanswered questions from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern are only feeding the cynicism.

The Number One question - "are the programme participants gang members?"

If they are gang members, why is the Government funding their rehabilitation, so they can resume active duty within the gang?

Or in other words, why are we taking money off criminals and healing criminals so they can still be criminals?

That, potentially, is the joke.

Hopefully, though, the joke is on us - and the programme graduates are ex-Mob members supported by their former employees, to become well functioning, honest members of society.

The opposite is a sobering thought.