Hui Māori: Ināia Tonu Nei held on criminal justice reform


Tue 16 Apr 2019

A Hui Māori was held at Te Papaiouru Marae in Ohinemutu in April 2019, to discuss criminal justice reform.  The Government held a Criminal ...

A Hui Māori was held at Te Papaiouru Marae in Ohinemutu in April 2019, to discuss criminal justice reform. 

The Government held a Criminal Justice Summit in August 2018 to launch the criminal justice reform. Following questions as to whether there was adequate involvement of Māori, representatives from eleven rohe (areas) across Aotearoa New Zealand came together to discuss the need for Māori responses to criminal justice reform. As a result, Te Ohu Whakatika (TOW) was established and tasked with convening a hui, supported by the Ministry of Justice.

The Hui had the theme Ināia Tonu Nei - Now is the time. We lead, you follow and was held from 5-7 April 2019. The Hui purpose was to:

    • "Contribute to and influence the reform programme.
    • Build and strengthen relationships within Te Ao Māori.
    • Build and strengthen accountability of the Justice Sector with Māori.
    • Recognise and advance the critical space Māori must hold, which is central to any justice reform and indeed transformation.
    • Be heard in ways that lead to actions (by the Government) that Māori have called for."

A report with the key messages of the hui is to be disseminated to Ngāi Māori and all Ministers relevant to the Justice Sector. The report is intended to inform the wider Hāpaitia te Oranga Tangata – Safe and Effective Justice work.

For more information see the brief summary from Hāpaitia te Oranga Tangata – Safe and Effective Justice.

Update: The report from the Māori Hui, Ināia Tonu Nei – The Time is Now: We Lead, You Follow (2019), has been published. See the Beehive Press Release.

Related news

The Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio hosted a Fono in March 2019 to ensure that perspectives and feedback from Pacific people were included in the Government's work to reform the criminal justice system.

Also part of the Government's work on criminal justice reform, Chief Victims Advisor Kim McGregor hosted a two day workshop focused for victms on strengthening the criminal justice system in March 2019. 

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Too much harm from justice system, Waatea News, 09.04.2019

Māori experts in justice met at Te Papaiouru Marae to discuss the reformation Criminal Justice System, Rotorua Daily Post, 09.04.2019

Māori to address "racist" justice system, Māori Television, 05.04.2019

Image: Nicole Honeywill on Unsplash

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