Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom public relations advisor Louise Hutchinson's heated exchanges with MPs over a prospective firearms control law. Video / Parliament TV
National MP Simeon Brown has received death threats that he says is a result of his criticism of Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson's visit to the Hamilton Mongrel Mob.
"I've had a number of threats come through basically saying they're going to shoot me," the Pakuranga MP said.
"This isobviously incredibly concerning, and I've taken that to the police, who are investigating."
Asked if he was scared for him or his family, he said: "I'm taking precautions."
A day after Davidson's visit to a Waikato Mongrel Mob gathering on Saturday, he received three threats from what appeared to be a Mongrel Mob member - though from a different chapter.
"The Mongrel Mob are trying to put out an image that they are trying to reform, trying to be a community betterment organisation. What this says is that they're anything but," Brown said.
"A Minister of the Crown going to their gang pad not only gives them only credibility, but emboldens them in terms of what they're trying to do in our community. I find that absolutely shocking."
Brown, who is the National Party spokesman for police, has criticised Davidson's visit as an insult to victims of crime by gang members.
"What she's doing is giving credibility to the Mongrel Mob gang, which peddles meth on our streets, which haven't given back their firearms after the gun buyback in 2019, and cause enormous amounts of misery.
"This is frankly unacceptable. These people should not be getting the time of day from a Minister of the Crown."
In a tweet Davidson, who is the Minister for the Prevention of Sexual and Family Violence, called the gathering a "fabulous community event for justice".
A spokesperson for Davidson said that she visited as Green Party co-leader and not in any ministerial capacity.
Davidson told reporters today that her visit to the Mongrel Mob was about engagement with whanau-led solutions, "and that includes all whanau".
"For some years now, I've been engaging with the women who are affiliated with gangs and their desires to see healthy violence-free lives for them, their mokopuna and their whole whanau.
"It's vital we talk to a range of communities and I was happy to accept their invitation."
Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown, seen here alongside National MP Christopher Luxon, says he has received death threats. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt also attended the Waikato Mongrel Mob's event at the weekend, saying it was about inclusion and building relationships.
"When are your members going to hand in their firearms and stop selling meth, which destroys lives in our community?" he asked the chapter's public relations liaison Louise Hutchinson.
He said there had been a lot of publicity about the reforms the kingdom's leader Sonny Fatu was trying to put in place, but "until you stop selling meth to the community across New Zealand and hand in your guns, I'm not going to believe it".
Hutchinson responded by telling Brown to come to the Waikato to see for himself, adding that Fatu didn't have any guns.
Brown: "Twenty-nine members were arrested last year with illegal firearms - Waikato Mongrel Mob."
Hutchinson: "That was not the Mongrel Mob kingdom. There's different chapters, Simeon."
