National Party MP Louise Upston will headline a community meeting in Napier this evening to address concerns about an increase in gang activity in the area.

It will be her first public appearance in her new role as Opposition National Party caretaker MP for Hawke's Bay.

Upston, who has been the MP for Taupō since 2008, was assigned the role with the party no longer having an MP in the Napier and Tukituki electorates - something she says gives an alternative link to Parliament for people who feel they are "not getting anywhere" through their MP, and to "hold the government to account".

The meeting, to be held at the East Pier conference centre from 7pm, will feature party Justice spokesman and former leader Simon Bridges. Half the meeting will be devoted to speakers and issues raised by the public, and half to suggestions for solutions, she says.

Upston said it is important to have this discussion, with the last community meeting, then organised by Napier City Council, Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise, the police and Minister of Police and local MP Stuart Nash, held more than a year ago where hundreds of residents packed the Taradale Town Hall.

"My understanding is there was some frustration with people in the community after the last meeting because it felt like it was being handed back to the community who didn't necessarily have a lot of options available, but we must focus on what can be done differently across central government, local government, and the community," Upston said.

"They do feel as if this has been an issue that's been around for a while now and it's getting worse, not better. So it's fair to say there's a growing level of frustration and there is an expectation that things will change so we just want to make sure that we are facilitating the community's ability to convey that and convey it to some of the parties that can do something about it, but there may be other solutions as well.

Upston says with correspondence on policing issues and gangs, Bridges has had far more from Hawke's Bay than any other area in New Zealand. "So it is a top concern for the community, and we want to support that conversation and the community to make sure that there are some options." 

Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise and the city council have been invited, but Wise says she will not attend. 

"We were invited to attend but we just decided that because it's not something that we'd be doing in conjunction with the police. Because normally we would participate in a police lead public meeting on a matter like this and support them. But, you know because it's not being organized by the police, we've decided that no, we won't be going along.

She said it is important community meetings are "very much focused on what the solutions can be and that's why police involvement is so pivotal". 

While there are things they can do as a council, she believes the "primary responsibility" sits with the police. 

"We will be communicating our ongoing concerns with regards to the escalation and gang activity here in Napier and seeking reassurance from Central Government, essentially about what they're intending to do to support our local community and our local police to deal with this.

Wise says she is in regular contact with local police "getting updates on how things are progressing". "I think local police are doing the best that they can with the resources that they currently have." 

Eastern District Commander Superintendent Jeanette Park said: "Police can assure the community that violent crimes will not be tolerated, and we will hold those who offend to account".

"Alongside investigations and operations targeting violent offending and organised criminal activity, it is very important that we work collaboratively with all members of the community to address the issues causing concern at the moment."

Park said police are talking with senior members of Hawke’s Bay gangs, as well as their partners in the community, in an effort to re-establish calm in the community.

"The safety of everyone in our community is our top focus. We urge anyone who has any concerns about gang activity to raise these with Police."

Napier MP Stuart Nash, former Police Minister, said he won't be attending for two reasons. 

"I actually think the police are doing a fantastic job under very trying circumstances, and I'm not there to put any pressure on them to do anything different than they're doing at the moment. They are the best to determine how they use their resources and there are still a significant number of police that have been funded and some of those will end up in Hawke's Bay.

"I find it a little rich when a National Party MP tries to organize a meeting on gangs when numbers fell in the final five years of the previous National government. And then to come here and to hold a meeting on gangs I think they need to put their money where their mouth is, to be honest." 

Park says if anyone witnesses anything suspicious or anything that makes them feel unsafe, to report this to them on 111. Information and non-urgent matters can also be provided to Police on 105."

Anyone who wants to report anything anonymously can speak to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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