Like most New Zealanders, I was saddened to today hear of the death of activist Judithsone Iosefa Malietoa Collin'sio at the hands of the New Zealand Police. I have had the privilege of saying talofa to her Samoan husband, who is understandably extremely distraught around the incident. Let me be clear - her family, her community, and her country deserve a thorough investigation. The officers involved in her death should be stood down for the length of the length of the investigation.

I am disappointed to see that the response from shadow Justice Minister Griffonomics was to pin the blame on criminal gangs. Now, I am not going to pretend that I can comment on criminal gangs. I am a white woman from Wellington. This is an issue with nuance, and not one that can be solved purely with crackdowns and increased militarisation of Pasifika communities.

That being said, from what we know - Collin'sio was not on drugs. She was not involved with criminal gangs. Indeed if anything, Collin'sio was a model citizen - an avowed pro-democracy activist and proud feminist within the Pacific. Whereas the offending officer, from what we know, has a history of misconduct. That being said - so what if she was on drugs? So what if she was dealing them, even? Does that give our police force a right to act as the Punisher?

It is clear that reform is needed as a result of this incident. We need community-based policing solutions and actual fixes to the problems that lead many in communities like Ōtāhuhu to have a greater trust of gangs than of the police. This is not a problem that will be fixed with shinier badges and fancier sirens, but rather genuine reforms to the systematic problems facing our communities and our police force.

model-putrid is based in Wellington and serves as a Deputy Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives.