New Hamilton West MP Tama Potaka to meet with police over crime spike

Hamilton West’s new MP Tama Potaka intends to consult with police imminently to find local solutions to reduce violent crime in his electorate and the wider city.

Last night, National’s Potaka was crowned as the MP for Hamilton West after he won 46 per cent of the vote - 6629 out of 14,392 votes - in the byelection triggered by the October resignation of former MP Dr Gaurav Sharma.

His closest rival, Labour’s Georgie Dansey, received 4344 votes (30 per cent). Act’s Dr James McDowall finished in third with 1462 (10 per cent).

Following his win being confirmed last night, Potaka told media he would be striving to engage with various community members to develop a sufficient approach to crime.

“We need to get the police involved, we need to get role models involved, sports leaders, community leaders and we also want to make sure policies are in place, we’ve announced one recently, that a Labour Government can look at and say, ‘Actually, we’ll adopt that’.”

Potaka doubled down on that message when he spoke to the NZ Herald this morning, saying he hoped to meet with Waikato District Commander Bruce Bird soon to discuss measures to address a recent spike in violent crime that had been observed in Hamilton and Auckland.

“The sense [in Hamilton] is one of absolute fear and insecurity among business owners and whānau,” Potaka said.

“I will be at the arrowhead of that advocacy of the Labour Government to actually take action for young repeat offenders, not just because they’re causing harm but because they’ve got potential.”

However, he cautioned against any expectations that change would be immediate.

“Things in Hamilton West aren’t necessarily going to get better today or tomorrow and part of my role and responsibility as the representative of Hamilton West, but also as a whānau and wider party, is to help drive some change for better.”

National’s youth crime policies, recently announced in Hamilton, included broadening the use of ankle bracelets for offenders aged 10-17, and sending offenders aged 15-17 to military academies for up to 12 months to break up offending patterns.

The military academies, often referred to as boot camps, were widely criticised by political opponents and also by authority figures on the topic, including the Children’s Commissioner.

Today, Potaka was critical of the commentary associated with the policy, saying it had been misrepresented.

“People think it’s 1000 press-ups in the snow at Waiouru [Military Camp], it’s not.”

Potaka was interviewed alongside his wife, Ariana Paul, who was by his side as results rolled in last night.

Tama Potaka with his wife Ariana Paul and their children last night. Photo / Adam Pearse

Asked what she thought of the policy, Paul said she saw the value military personnel could have in reforming young offenders, noting that she was raised by a parent who was in the air force.

She didn’t like the term “boot camp” and she believed the military academies should be paired with wider family support.

“The thing that I think needs to be widened in that conversation is what happens to the whānau and those kids because I know if you take someone and mould them into something, that’s great, but if you then go back into a community where nothing has changed, that’s when the rubber band goes back to the shape that it used to be.”

National’s policy didn’t appear to include specific support for the family of offenders who would be sent to the academies should the party make it into government next year.

Potaka could not confirm whether support would be directly targeted at families of offenders sent to academies, but pointed to National’s proposed new social investment fund that was a targeted approach to welfare.

With the win confirmed, Potaka, Paul and their three children would be shifting their lives to Hamilton to live there permanently.

Formerly, Potaka had lived in Auckland as chief executive of iwi Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, a role he walked away from to contest the byelection.

Paul, who was Hamilton born and bred, said the enormity of the situation was still sinking in.

“Suddenly this place where I grew up ... it’s not just my nucleus, my family, it’s a wider community we are here now to serve.”

While she acknowledged Potaka’s new public role, Paul wasn’t concerned about the extra scrutiny or responsibilities now imposed on her whānau.

“Someone said to me, ‘Congrats on being an MP’s widow’, and that I did not like, saying that he’s now everyone else’s, but I don’t see it that way, I think it’s really important for us to be strong together.”

In accordance with Hamilton West tradition, Dansey travelled to National’s byelection night base at the Novotel Tainui hotel to concede in person.

National's Tama Potaka speaks with former Hamilton West MP Dr Gaurav Sharma. Photo / Mike Scott

In a surprising move, Sharma also made the journey to congratulate Potaka and National leader Christopher Luxon on their win.

Sharma, whose messy split with the Labour Party was the reason for the roughly $1 million byelection, finished in fourth (1156) after he ran under his newly created Momentum Party.

Some Hamilton West residents had told the Herald they felt the byelection was a waste of time and resented Sharma for resigning.

Asked whether he would be seeking Sharma’s guidance, Potaka expected he would “be in touch” with Sharma.

“Everyone in Hamilton West, particularly those who have held public office, have some ideas around how to best support Hamilton West so I’m happy to actively listen to Gaurav.”