Full Breakdown
Mongrel Mob Leader Harry Tam Accuses Prime Minister Chris Hipkins of Political Expediency Over Gang-Led Rehab Funding
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Harry Tam, a member of the Mongrel Mob and director of the rehabilitation consultancy Hard 2 Reach, alleges that Prime Minister Chris Hipkins undermined the programme by withdrawing government funding. The dispute centres on a $2.75 million grant that was awarded in 2020 to support a meth-amphetamine rehabilitation effort targeting gang members in Hawke’s Bay.
Background & Context
Hard 2 Reach applied for Proceeds of Crime funding after a series of suicides within the Mongrel Mob community highlighted a link between mental health crises and meth use. The programme received the $2.75 million grant in 2020, with Tam describing the application process as “rigorous” but noting the absence of a formal cost-benefit analysis. In 2024 the funding was withdrawn; Police Minister Mark Mitchell later characterised the original decision to support the scheme as “perverse.”
Official Statements & Responses
Prime Minister Hipkins labelled the 2023 election hui with Mongrel Mob members a “huge error of judgment” and pledged that no future funding would be allocated to gang-run initiatives. Police Minister Mitchell echoed this stance, describing the initial funding as contrary to public interest. Green co-leader Marama Davidson expressed openness to supporting services such as Hard 2 Reach, but Hipkins maintained his opposition.
Criticism & Opposition
Tam criticised Hipkins for marginalising the gang community “for political expediency,” arguing that the move reflects a broader pattern of dismissing vulnerable groups. He linked the funding cut to a perceived “fascist” tendency to demonise the Mongrel Mob, contending that the decision undermines New Zealand’s human-rights reputation.
Data, Outcomes and Political Impact
A post-programme report indicated that a “significant” number of participants tested negative for methamphetamine three months after completion, suggesting short-term success. The funding controversy has amplified tensions between the Labour government and Maori-led parties; Te Pati Maori MP Oriini Kaipara and Green MPs were photographed with Mongrel Mob members at a health-and-wellbeing election hui, signalling political support for community-based interventions. The episode highlights the intersection of criminal-justice policy, electoral strategy, and the challenges of delivering culturally specific rehabilitation services.