July 05, 2023
Retribution call for rangatahi shows lack of compassion
A social justice advocate says New Zealand lacks empathy and compassion for vulnerable rangatahi.
Youth development worker Aaron Hendry says the response of Opposition parties to a rooftop protest at the weekend at Oranga Tamariki’s Korowai Manaaki youth justice facility in south Auckland suburb illustrates the problem.
The ACT Party called for the Department of Corrections to take over the running of such facilities.
Mr Hendry says it shows a failure to understand the needs of rangatahi who come from backgrounds of extreme poverty, abuse and harm.
“One of the great hypocricies we have in this country is how much compassion we have for tamariki when we hear about their abuse as children but when they grow up and they are still bearing the scars of that and those scars turn into problematic or harmful behaviour in the community we have very little compassion or understanding about what led them to that space,” he says.
Mr Hendry says services are needed to help rangatahi deal with why they are in the justice system.