Tangatarite, a wraparound support service provided by Te Rūnanga o Tūranganui a Kiwa (TROTAK) in the adult criminal jurisdiction of Gisborne District Court, has officially expanded into the Family Court and Youth Court after a successful testing period. 

Tangatarite was introduced in the adult criminal jurisdiction in 2022 through the Whakaorangia te Mana Tangata initiative. It is a whānau-centred service designed and provided by TROTAK to support whānau through the court process. Given its success since implementation, it was decided to expand the service through the Te Ao Mārama – Enhancing Justice for All initiative.

Judicially led, Te Ao Mārama works with iwi and community organisations, as well as justice sector agencies, to improve the quality of justice in the District Court. It ensures all participants, including victims and whānau, can better understand the cases that relate to them. Timely access to justice is a central feature of the initiative.

Moera Brown, TROTAK chair throughout the development of Tangatarite, was yesterday joined by new TROTAK chair Meka Whaitiri at a whakanuia or celebration ceremony. An outcome agreement for the service and an ongoing relationship agreement between TROTAK and the Ministry of Justice were signed at the whakanuia.

The event was also attended by Chief District Court Judge Heemi Taumaunu, local judges and court staff, and members of the Te Ao Mārama programme team.

Moera Brown said, “This work strongly aligns with Whānau Ora principles. The focus for the team is to work with whānau by hearing and responding to their kōrero using all the attributes we know work for our people. So it does start with understanding who they are and how they come to be present in the justice spaces.”

Chief Judge Taumaunu welcomed the expansion of the wraparound service in Gisborne – the fifth District Court location funded for Te Ao Mārama where a service has been implemented.

The others are Kaikohe, Whangārei, Hamilton (including Huntly) and Tauranga. Work continues to implement services in the remaining three funded locations (Kaitāia, Napier and Hastings).

“I would like to thank TROTAK for working so hard with the District Court and Ministry of Justice to make this service happen, first in the adult criminal jurisdiction and now also in the Family Court and Youth Court.

“We are grateful to TROTAK for delivering the Tangatarite service and bringing vital community-based wraparound support directly into our courts. Their team helps defendants, victims, witnesses and whānau to better understand the legal process and participate more fully in the cases that relate to them,” Chief Judge Taumaunu said.

·       Other Te Ao Mārama initiatives that have been successfully implemented in Gisborne include a Young Adult List launched in 2022 and a Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) List launched last November.

·       The Young Adult List applies to 18- to 25-year-olds approaches similar to those used in the Youth Court. The Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) List streamlines processes for mentally impaired defendants.