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Sorry to be petulant but I was genuinely shocked with Minister @NgatiBird's response yesterday in the wake of the #WaikeriaPrison uprising. Refusal to acknowledge issues raised by independent sources (Ombudsman, HRC, Amnesty) & his 'othering' of incarcerated people
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What struck me in particular was the dog-whistling around gangs & Australian deportees. It felt hypocritical to me. Do we really have such a short memory that we can't recall when @NgatiBird was a champion for the rights of "501" deportees?
I'd like to refresh people's memories,
Davis said regardless of whether those affected are "Australian in their hearts" they're still Kiwis and the government should be "standing up for New Zealanders and human rights". https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/88279080/commonwealth-ombudsman-releases-scathing-reports-on-treatment-of-kiwis-in-australian-detention-centres
Davis said regardless of whether those affected are "Australian in their hearts" they're still Kiwis and the government should be "standing up for New Zealanders and human rights". https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/88279080/commonwealth-ombudsman-releases-scathing-reports-on-treatment-of-kiwis-in-australian-detention-centres
& this? Justifying rioting is he?
"Speaking on his return from Christmas Island, Mr Davis said the detainees he had met were angry, hungry, scared, traumatised, and ready to riot if that was what it took to took to draw attention to their situation" https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northland-age/news/kiwi-detainees-ready-to-riot/WQKJOADUNCSCNJZCJEOOOZBNZ4/
"Speaking on his return from Christmas Island, Mr Davis said the detainees he had met were angry, hungry, scared, traumatised, and ready to riot if that was what it took to took to draw attention to their situation" https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northland-age/news/kiwi-detainees-ready-to-riot/WQKJOADUNCSCNJZCJEOOOZBNZ4/
This is only in the last 3-5 years, what has happened for Davis to no longer be able to acknowledge people's humanity as he has above & below?
It's heartbreaking to not see leadership here when our country most needs it
It's heartbreaking to not see leadership here when our country most needs it
Here is Davis quote in an article by @StanleyLizzy by Prof Elizabeth Stanley
One NZ MP, Kelvin Davis, described officers ‘dressed up like Darth Vader, they come in with batons … beat people up, cuff them and then send them off’ (Sachdeva, 2015) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0004865817730858
One NZ MP, Kelvin Davis, described officers ‘dressed up like Darth Vader, they come in with batons … beat people up, cuff them and then send them off’ (Sachdeva, 2015) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0004865817730858
“It is a human rights issue,” New Zealand Labour MP Kelvin Davis said to the Saturday Paper. https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/nz-man-dies-inside-australian-immigration-detention-centre/
It was such a shining light to see a politician challenge Aus in the name of human rights.
@NgatiBird now has the power to effect change, here, at home. Where is his declaration on the rights of people incarcerated? On our communities to support humanity?
#WaikeriaPrison
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@NgatiBird now has the power to effect change, here, at home. Where is his declaration on the rights of people incarcerated? On our communities to support humanity?
#WaikeriaPrison
/Ends
