Drawing the Line: Member’s Bill Seeks to End Public Funding for Gangs

National MP Rima Nakhle has introduced a member’s bill to cut off public funding for any organization with gang ties, sparking a debate over rehabilitation versus public safety.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 15, 2026, 4:49 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

The Core of the Bill: "Poisoners and Antidotes"

Nakhle’s primary argument is ethical: those who profit from the sale of illegal drugs should not be paid by the taxpayer to provide rehabilitation. Speaking to RNZ’s The Detail, she emphasized that the message sent by funding gang-linked initiatives is a "smack in the face" to families suffering from addiction.

"National is sending a very strong message that the people administering the poison are not going to be administering the antidote as well," Nakhle stated.

The Kahukura Precedent:

The bill follows years of controversy surrounding the Kahukura programme, a marae-based rehab initiative in Hawke's Bay:

The Funding: In 2021, the previous government allocated $2.75 million to the programme.