Community and service agencies striving to reduce harm from organised crime in Southern District have been celebrated for their efforts at a special gathering in Invercargill today.

Associate Minister of Police Hon Casey Costello today met with agencies involved in the Southern Resilience to Organised Crime (ROCC) programme, including Southern Police District Commander Superintendent Jason Guthrie, Regional Public Service Director Murihiku Trinity McMahon, and local government, community, and iwi representatives to celebrate the latest programmes funded through the Community Resilience and Whānau Support (CRWS) fund, administered by MSD and supported by ROCC.

Agencies were able to share experiences and success stories with the Minister during her visit, following the latest funding round.

The programme, which was gifted the name Hāpori Manawaroa ki Murihiku by local kaumatua, has been operating in the community since its launch in March 2023.

The name reflects the fortitude, strength and stamina of the Murihiku community, resonating with those involved in the programme. A source of pride and demonstrating the high quality of work and local support, Southland has been at the forefront of the ROCC approach since inception.

Superintendent Jason Guthrie says: “This is an excellent opportunity to stop and celebrate a plan that was created by the community for the community. By working together with Iwi and our community, we know we have far greater success at reducing harm from drugs and organised crime.”

ROCC is an initiative supporting and enabling communities to respond to locally identified harms and social conditions associated with organised crime. Murihiku was selected as a ROCC location in late 2022, as an opportunity for a focused prevention approach and social investment to have a significant impact on organised crime.

A key early aspiration of Hāpori Manawaroa ki Murihiku was to enable the community to become increasingly connected and resilient before organised crime could take root and grow or expand.

The success has been tangible, says Superintendent Guthrie.

“The work programme underway in Murihiku is having a positive impact on the harm caused by methamphetamine and organised crime. With the collaboration of all the agencies involved, we’re able to play an important part in supporting rangatahi and whānau for the lasting wellbeing of our Southern communities.”

The ROCC work programme has three key focus areas which are all priorities for Murihiku communities: o Those at risk from engaging in, or being the victims of, organised crime o People impacted by methamphetamine and its associated harms o Rangatahi (youth) on the pathway into organised crime (and their families)

Through the CRWS, the ROCC work programme includes $2.6m of funding for Murihiku.

A local commissioning panel, chaired by Regional Public Service Commissioner (RPSC) Steph Voight, has selected 11 initiatives to be supported in this round of funding with over $1.37m in funding supporting a wide range of community initiatives. A second round of funding is being planned to distribute the remainder of the fund.

“The programmes selected will make a positive difference in our community, improving access to support and enhancing the resilience of communities to the impacts of organised crime here in Murihiku Southland,” Ms Voight said.

She noted that the Funding Assessment Panel was one of the hardest, but most rewarding, tasks she has been a part of, as the initial applications far exceeded the funds available, showing how many amazing organisations are part of the Murihiku community and are committed to long-term prevention.

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