There’s disappointment among care-experienced rangatahi and their advocates that relevant funding from yesterday’s budget is being focussed on punishment instead of addressing the underlying cause of youth offending.

Among the government’s pledge to invest in public safety and reform young offenders, it’s allocating $16 million to implement the new legislative regime for Young Serious Offenders, and $33 million for the operation of military style academies.

VOYCE - Whakarongo Mai has been advocating for care experienced rangatahi since 2017, and CEO Tracie Shipton says it’s the wrong response for young people who come into conflict with the law.

“There is no evidence that military style academies will benefit the young people or make communities safer by reducing re-offending. What these measures fail to do is address the underlying cause, and what led them down that path in the first place.”

$22 million is also being allocated towards repairs and upgrades to Oranga Tamariki residences, and $33 million for improvements to facilities at youth justice residences.

“The government has got its priorities wrong. The system has failed these young people and the agency and community organisations who are trying to support them are being stripped of funding and resources.”

“Now those dollars are being spent on fancying up the “jails” and used to lock up children who have been failed by the system in the first place. This doesn’t address public safety it creates a bigger societal problem”

Shipton says the recommendations from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into state care have so far been ignored, leading to a budget that’s only concerned with containing the problem.

“The inquiry highlighted the need for loving, nurturing early intervention and a move away from custodial care.”

“Where’s the money for carers? Where's the money for children and their families in the community, and where is the money for the support systems that work towards different outcomes?”

Shipton says the community organisations doing the mahi to support young people will be eager to see how many rangatahi will actually be helped by the money allocated towards the unproven military style academies.

“For many it’s obvious they could make much more of a difference to these young people’s lives than any of these regimented programmes could.”

“As far as we are concerned the guts has been pulled from the care system, and if we don’t take care of it youth justice issues will only continue to arise. What this budget tells us is that addressing the root cause is in the too hard basket.”

As part of yesterday’s budget, jobseeker and emergency benefit support will also be tightened for single unemployed 18 and 19 year olds by introducing a parental assistance test.

“Our concern is always about how this affects young people in care.”

Shipton says the transition from care to independent adulthood is tough enough for young people, and this could add another layer of stress and complexity to the process.

“Of course our preference is for young people to move into work or study, but many of these young people are not well prepared or equipped to be living independently as young adults.

“We’re concerned that this will create yet another hoop for this group of young people to jump through by having “prove” that their parents are not able/available/suitable to support them when they’re already going through tough times.”

Shipton says the government has assumed responsibility for this group of children by taking them into state care, and it needs to see that through by ensuring it’s easy for them to access the support they need.

“This is extremely shortsighted The government says it’s about getting kids of the PlayStation and out into jobs, but where are those jobs, and what happens to those young people who have been in state care?”

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