The tragic death of Mr Arun Kumar has saddened me immensely and my thoughts are with his friends and family. They have lost a good man, and our vibrant Indian community has lost an important member. I will miss chatting with him on my regular visits to pick up the milk and paper when working at my office down the road.
At the farewell ceremony for her father, Mr Kumar’s daughter spoke to him saying “as we are part of you, you are part of us”. Mr Kumar was also part of West Auckland and he will be very sadly missed.
His death followed three others in just three weeks, and while each incident was an isolated one, many of us will feel upset and worried about what is happening in our back yard.
These events should not define us as a community, but we’ve had a very sudden wake-up call about the issues we face.
It is clear tragedies like the death of Mr Kumar go back to homes where social dysfunction has become ingrained in families over many generations. There is no excuse for this crime, but the fact such a thing can happen indicates deep and complex problems, of which there are no quick fixes. These issues are difficult to tackle, but there is work underway to get to the root of these problems.
Evidence shows crime in our neighbourhoods is falling. Across the Waitemata Police district, the number of 14 to 16 year olds appearing in court has fallen almost 62% since 2008/09. The number of 10 to 13 years olds picked up by Police has dropped from 1,307 in 2009 to 861 in 2013. It’s reassuring these numbers are going down, alongside decreasing numbers of people on welfare and decreasing notifications to Child, Youth and Family across West Auckland.
I’ve spoken to the Minister of Police directly about Police services in West Auckland, and in my own work as Social Development Minister I am determined to ensure West Aucklanders are getting access to the services they need.
Over the past few weeks I’ve seen the incredible spirit of our community front and centre. I’ve spoken to retailers, dairy owners, petrol station attendants, and people on the street. They are determined to stay strong. This is a tough time for all of us, but we are a special community and we will come through this together.