An inside look at how the Papakura Marae Community Justice Panel works.
At court, offenders scarcely speak and hordes of people are processed in haste. At Iwi Community Panels, there's singing, hongi, hugs and participants - not offenders - are heard. For part three of the Turning of the Tide series, Carmen Parahi was granted a rare glimpse inside a panel.
A radical transformation is happening in the justice system, but few people know about it. If you commit a crime, police can refer you to a marae instead of a court.
Every week across New Zealand, Iwi Community Panels meet with offenders to discuss and resolve their crimes on a marae. It's a state sanctioned process supported by various iwi, Māori community groups and social services across the country.
Manukau panel chairman Brian Joyce told offenders at Papakura Marae: "It's a process of love, to move your lives forward."
The pilot project called Te Pae Oranga was setup in 2014 and is part of the police's Turning of the Tide Māori strategy.
Everyone can use it but it was specifically created to reduce police prosecutions against Māori offenders, who are being charged more than Pākehā criminals.
The Manukau Urban Māori Authority runs the Manukau pilot panel at two South Auckland marae, Papakura and Ngā Whare Waatea in Māngere.
Stuff is the first news media to film and observe an Iwi Community Panel in action.
At Papakura Marae, the day begins with the crowd walking onto the marae and into a wharenui (meeting house). For some, it's their first time on a marae. The panel chair and the policeman on duty, usually an Iwi Liaison Officer (specialist Māori cop) address the group.
Papakura marae in South Auckland is part of a unique pilot programme that could change the New Zealand justice system forever. Police can choose to send offenders to a marae instead of a court. It's part of the Turning of the Tide Māori strategy but is available for everyone to use.
"A massive warm welcome to you all," says Joyce to the panelists, administrators, police, offenders and supporters. "It's not about trying to hang anyone but to move you forward."
After the short, informal speeches everyone sings a waiata (song) and a karakia (prayer) is recited. The visitors to the marae then greet the hosts with a hongi, handshake or hug and kiss. Each person sits in a circle and introduces themselves, then the panels begin, one at a time.
Joyce is a well-known, straight talking local kaumatua (elder) with a bag full of funny one-liners he uses to manage each session. He's joined by his wife, Riripeti and Ann Kendall, all three are respected local leaders with years of social and community work experience.
"We are a panel, like panelbeaters who try to fix cars, we'll try to beat some dings out of your lives," says Joyce.
Papakura kaumātua Riripeti Joyce (L) and Brian Joyce are on the Manukau Iwi Community Panel held at Papakura Marae every second week. They make an order to resolve low level crimes based on the case work done earlier and by meeting and listening to an offender.
The first case is a careless driving charge against a 71-year old man who crashed his car. His daughter was there to support him. All participants are allowed to put their own cases forward, lawyers aren't required at the panels.
"We've heard all the excuses in the world," says Joyce to the offender. "No one got hurt that was a lucky thing. Take time to rest when you get tired."
The man is given a formal warning and told if it happens again there will be more serious consequences.