Summarised by Centrist
Minister for Children Karen Chhour confirmed that no New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel would be working directly with the youth offenders in the “military-style academy” pilot programme at Te Au rere a Tonga Youth Justice Residence.
Despite earlier claims of “heavy defence involvement”, NZDF staff are only involved in background policy work, not frontline interaction.
This revelation has led to accusations from Labour that the government has misled the public, with Labour MP Willow-Jean Prime questioning the safety and efficacy of having Oranga Tamariki staff, who have limited training, deliver military-style activities.
The programme aims to address youth offending behaviours by instilling structure, routine, and life skills such as making beds and polishing shoes.
