Pollies: Insistence from Megan Woods that gang tensions in Ōpōtiki are a police issue, not a political one

Ongoing insistence from the Government, that gang tensions in Ōpōtiki are a police issue, not a political one. Schools and public facilities in the eastern Bay of Plenty town remain closed today due to safety concerns, ahead of today's tangi for gang boss Steven Taiatini. Hundreds of gang members are already in the town, with more expected to arrive in a procession from Whakatāne this morning. Cabinet Minister Megan Woods told Mike Hosking on Politics Wednesday she feels sorry for everyone involved, but the Government has resourced Police to respond appropriately. Recounting his time as an officer stationed in Gisborne and often called to Ōpōtiki, National MP Mark Mitchell said when they pulled up with vans and dogs, gang members would go away at the sight of them. “We need to return that way. We need police out there,” he said. About 100 extra police have been stationed to the area to monitor the increased gang presence, as investigations continue into Taiatini's death. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.