The news last week that the Government had put up nearly $3 million in funding towards a Mongrel Mob-led drug programme came as a shock to all New Zealanders, who every day are given more evidence that Labour has its priorities wrong.
The Mongrel Mob are a gang of thugs, plain and simple, who have no interest in getting people off drugs and prefer the complete opposite. Selling drugs to vulnerable people is their bread and butter.
Add on the “donation” from the Human Rights Commissioner during his recent visit to one of their gang pads and it’s clear this Government sees no problem handing out taxpayer money to organised crime.
It’s no wonder gang membership and activity are off the charts. The gangs don’t just feel safe to go about their business under Labour, they feel supported.
This also comes on the heels of a recent decision by the Government to reject a funding request by Mike King’s Gumboot Friday, a reputable charity well known for its work with kids and their mental health.
Why on earth the Government sees fit to award the Mongrel Mob funding and not an actual charity is mind boggling. It’s an insult to the hard work of all charitable workers and volunteers doing their best, often with minimal resources, to make a difference.
It’s not surprising to hear frontline police officers are also upset with this decision. The funding for the Mongrel Mob will come out of the Proceeds of Crime fund, essentially meaning the Government is handing back money police had rightfully confiscated.
What better way to get your money back than to pretend it’s for a good cause, particularly when this Government seems ready to believe anything the gangs tell them.
As a nation we should be cracking down on gangs who perpetuate harmful and violent action against our society. Instead, we’re rewarding them and giving them the resources and space to continue growing.
It’s safe to say Labour is no longer just soft on crime, they’re funding it.
- Simeon Brown is MP for Pakuranga
