NZ Herald 4th October 2006
When 14-year-old Ngatai Rewiti was sent to prison for throwing rocks onto the motorway at Otahuhu and killing a motorist, it was really just a short-term solution. It was a possible deterrent to copycats, but it didn’t deal with the root causes.
Sources close to Rewiti’s family contacted Family First expressing concern about the family environment in which he was being raised.
Drug and alcohol abuse, family breakdown and dysfunctional parenting were major reasons behind Rewiti’s increasingly bad behaviour – and contributing factors to this senseless crime.
There is little doubt society is becoming more violent. News bulletins are regularly full of horrific and brutal murders – eight in South Auckland in the past three months.
Police are voicing their concern at the increase in violence on the streets. And, as reported last week, the level of threats and violence in schools is worsening.
But the response of the Government has been simply to throw money at the problem. Under a 26-point action plan, $10 million will fund 22 youth workers in South Auckland to fix gang problems and street violence.
…Our government continues to undermine and weaken the defence of the traditional family structure through legislation. By decriminalising prostitution, equating non-marriage relationships with marriage, allowing teenagers to get an abortion without the parents being informed, teaching kids how to put on a condom but not exercise self-control, encouraging both parents
