A group of passionate thought leaders leading the way.
Our Origin Story.
Ināia Tonu Nei was born out of Māori resistance to the lack of Māori voice at the Crown’s Criminal Justice Summit in August 2018. The summit was the flagship event of the government’s Hāpaitia te Oranga Tangata – Safe and Effective Justice programme which was established to help in setting and communicating the new direction for the New Zealand criminal (in)justice system.
Due to the lack of Māori voice at the summit, Māori attendees called for an intentional space to discuss a Māori response in reforming the (in)justice system and a call was made for a national hui Māori to be held. The Minister of Justice was in support and committed to the hui taking place.
Hui Māori was held in Rotorua in 2019. Over 200 Māori with extensive criminal justice experience attended, including those with lived experience, practitioners, Māori community groups, service providers, the judiciary, academics, Māori / iwi leaders, and musicians. At Hui Māori, there was a strong push to establish a Mana Ōrite model of partnership with the Crown, look at constitutional reform and begin decolonising the (in)justice system.
Ngā Kaitiaki
Meet Ngā Kaitiaki
Ināia Tonu Nei is governed by a group of Kaitiaki and is supported by an operational team, Te Roro. Both are committed to the kaupapa of Ināia Tonu Nei as articulated at the 2019 Hui Māori and in the Hui Māori report.
Our mission has and will always be centred on our people. We are about healing and meaningful change.
Decolonize The (In)justice System
Participants at the Hui Māori recognised the current (in)justice system as 'settler-colonial' and that the underpinning of colonisation can no longer be ignored. Decolonising the (in)justice system must be central to any work programme.
Influence System-wide Change
The Crown has not adequately partnered with Māori to enable a meaningful and enduring reform to take place. Further understanding is needed of how te ao Māori interacts with the (in)justice system. Te ao Māori must be central to any reform of the (in)justice system.
