Mongrel Mob patch. Photo / NZME
Mongrel Mob Wahine Toa leader Paula Ormsby fears a ban on patches could lead to gang members getting facial tattoos instead.
National’s proposed gang policies include implementing a ban on gang patches in public places and boosting police powers to enable warrant-less searches to find guns held by gang members, to prevent some gang members from communicating and to restrict their public meetings.
As well as this, the party would make gang membership an aggravating factor at sentencing, with the intention that convicted gang members would face “tougher consequences” for their crimes.
Ormsby told the Herald if gang members want to express themselves, then they will find a way to visually show that.
“You’re not gonna see gang patches, you’re going to see people that are going to have, [gang tattoos] all over their faces, their necks.”
While she didn’t believe the patch ban would be as much of an issue for Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom members, she said the policy would push gangs underground like it did in Australia.
Earlier this week Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom leader Sonny Fatupaito also said banning gang patches wouldn’t be as much of an issue for his chapter because they wore it in their hearts, but said others would struggle.
“I feel that we have every right to be like every New Zealander, they have the same rights that we should have. The right to be to express who we are, the freedom of speech, and the freedom of expression, it’s a human right.”
Speaking about Nationals gang policies in general, he said they would be devastating, a breach of their human rights, and will create a “psychological war”.
Speaking exclusively to the Herald, Fatupaito said after reading up on the proposals, he believed they would cause chaos.
“I think that punishing everybody actually feels like it’s a prison.”
He said the dispersal notice policy, which would give police power to hand out seven-day public non-association orders to those they suspect are in gangs, would prevent people from attending tangihanga, birthdays and other events they should have a right to be at.
National’s police spokesman Mark Mitchell said earlier this week they would not be “threatened or intimidated” by gang members.
“If you choose to remain in gangs, peddling drugs and misery in our communities, life will be a lot more difficult under a National-led Government.
“There is a simple solution though. Leave the gangs at once. National will work with and support any gang members, especially those with families, who wish to leave and rejoin society.”
Mitchell also alleged in September Harry Tam’s “nationwide campaign in support of the Labour Party” showed “just how badly the gangs want Labour to remain in government”.
Prior to the election, a hīkoi from Northland to Parliament was undertaken by whānau of gang members to oppose National and ACT’s gang policies.
The 10-person strong trip, led by Matilda Kahotea (Ngāti Pūkenga), stopped off at marae and gang houses along the way to explain the policies, get signatures for a petition and encourage people to vote.
Kahotea told the Herald they feel the policies were ill-informed and they want to be included in solutions that are made for them.
“They have no idea about how we live, what actually we have to offer within our healing spaces for our people and we feel like not enough has been put into this environment to make some real positive decisions.”
Katie Harris is an Auckland-based journalist who covers social issues including sexual assault, workplace misconduct, crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2020.