Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has slated critics of the Government’s young offenders boot camp proposals, saying those who oppose the initiative to curb youth crime are “clowns”.

Peters campaigned on introducing military-style boot camps to help young offenders on to the right track. 

Children’s Minister Karen Chhuor said this week, as part of the National-Act-New Zealand First coalition agreement and the Government’s 100 day plan, that a pilot would be operational by the middle of the year, and Oranga Tamariki would oversee it. 

“It will have a military-style component as well as a rehabilitative and trauma-informed care approach to help these young people turn their lives around and reduce their risk of re-offending. 

Winston Peters says the critics 'have never talked to the Māori who were the heads of the military in this country'. Photo / Michael Cunningham 

“Oranga Tamariki will lead and deliver the programme, working with providers where they have appropriate capability and expertise, and alongside other government departments in a multi-agency approach to ensure it is a well-rounded programme.” 

Experts claim there is no evidence boot camps actually reduce offending, and in fact they can expose participants to the risk of further violence and abuse from offenders in the programme. 

Aaron Hendry - a youth advocate and director of youth organisation Kick Back - said he was extremely concerned as boot camps were not the best way to deal with young offenders. 

“We know it is not going to be largely successful and looking at research overseas and here as well they haven’t been successful. Not long term.” 

Hendry said the military component can cause more harm for young people who were already not in a good space. 

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“The young people we are talking about have already come through trauma - disability and illness, poverty and homelessness. 

“The reality that children, who we know are some of our most structurally vulnerable and marginalized within our society, children who have suffered trauma, abuse, poverty, homelessness, who struggle with mental illness and disabilities, children who suffer because of our collective irresponsibility, are the ones who will be most affected by this decision.” 

But Peters compares the camps to the Limited Service Volunteer scheme established under the Labour-New Zealand First Government in 2017, when the Defence Force ran intensive six-week courses to teach life and motivational skills to young unemployed – which he says were particularly successful for young Māori. 

NZ Army captain Brian Poananga, who served with an Australian battalion; Lieutenant Gilmer John (Gil) Lucas MC; 3/395 Major Jeffrey James (Jim) Shelton MC, the company commander. 

“Here we go, do something to help youth turn their lives around, and the usual cacophony of clowns calling themselves experts say this won’t work. They’ve never talked to [Brian] Poananga. They’ve never talked to the Māori who were the heads of the military in this country,” Peters said. 

Brian Poananga was the first Māori to be appointed Chief of General Staff and had a long and illustrious army career. 

Last year Peters said military-style boot camps for young offenders could work if run correctly. 

He said Defence Force careers have produced thousands of exceptional Māori achievers – because Māori thrive with good direction, order and training. 

“If you look at things positively and it’s run correctly, then it will work. But my fear is it’s a tokenistic sort of statement, put out to try and demonstrate that you’re for law and order,” Peters said last year. 

He said to work properly, all factors must be taken into account and addressed – such as truancy and dysfunctional home environments. 

Additional reporting Waatea.News.Com