Tamatha Paul is calling out Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s privilege after he called the Green MPs’ police comments “outrageous and insane”.
“I think the Prime Minsiter is extremely privileged, he hasn’t had the same upbringing as I had, he hasn’t been over policed like I have in a community like Tokoroa - where we interact with the police regularly - so of course he has a different experience, he’s extremely privileged,” Paul told media on Thursday.
She said the comments made about police making people less safe came from the community.
Speaking to Te Ao Māori News on Wednesday afternoon, Paul said he comments had made a “commotion around the house”
“The police themselves have been in a number of controversies themselves in the last couple of weeks and somehow there have been more coverage of my view of the police than there has been of actual misconduct by police.
“The government [is] not used to a voice in parliament being critical of the way that police use their powers.”
And her comments had leaders from both political sides talking.
“I think she is completely on lala land,” said Luxon, with Act Leader David Seymour saying he was a fan of Māori Wardens but “police are the people that have the legal force to stop bad people.”
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said it was a big claim without evidence.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi thinks police should be wearing body cams.
Paul does believe police are needed but only when necessary.
“Dometic violence call outs, sexual violence call outs, things that only the police can respond to. That is where police need to be focusing their energy rather than having a greater visual presence in our cities.
“There are lots of different people who can do patrols. There are Māori wardens, Pacific wardens, in Wellington we’ve got this group called Hāpai Ake, where people can just walk around and make sure people are alright how they are going a voice they can turn to when they don’t feel safe.”
