Te Pati Maori is justifying its stance on prison abolition, in the face of criticism from the Government and Labour
Te Pati Maori is justifying its stance on prison abolition, in the face of criticism from the Government and Labour
28 January 2026
It's announced a policy of abolishing prisons by 2040, replacing them with community-led solutions.
Co-leader Rawiri Wairiri says prisons are completely ineffective at deterring crime, rehabilitation, and lowering re-offending.
He says they want resources moved to addressing the root causes of crime.
He says he wants to create an Aotearoa where prisons are redundant.
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