No Manners on Manners Street

The Facebook page exposing Wellington crime 

“Police can’t be everywhere, all the time.”

This is what the New Zealand Police tell me in response to local workers and civilians coming forward with their experiences being threatened, harassed and assaulted on Wellington’s Manners Street.  

Kaylene Kahuwairo created Facebook group No Manners on Manners Street where these complaints began to spiral.  

Kahuwairo, who works on the central street, said she’s been physically and verbally assaulted, nearly had her bag stolen, witnessed indecent exposure and sexual harassment.   

She believed this all started when emergency housing group, The Set Up, opened during the pandemic on both ends of the street. One at 57 Manners Street and the other opposite Te Aro Park.   

The state of Manners Street. Photo / No Manners on Manners Street

When Kahuwairo was hit by a can of Cody’s on Manners Street, she contacted the police, but claimed they’d done nothing about it.  

“The guy didn't even put the statement in the system because I go to follow up a few days and there’s nothing there.”    

Kahuwairo contacted Parliament, the police, and the council for help. Only Labour MPs Ginny Andersen and Grant Robertson responded.   

She made progress with the help of the Labour MPs, but with the change of Government, the policing got left behind, “We went back to shitsville.”  

Kahuwairo isn’t the only one having trouble. Tori Manu, a 21-year-old business consultant, was walking down Manners Street after a night out at 1:30am in May last year and was sexually assaulted by a random man.   

In the same month, Manu returned to Manners Street and someone attempted to steal her bag. She hasn’t been back since.  

Manu was told by the police that they would contact her with updates on her case – she has heard nothing since June last year.   

Another victim, Oliver White, was walking through Leeds on Dixon when he was assaulted by two people, giving him long-term head trauma.   

You’d think there would be CCTV footage to witness these crimes, but when Manu and White contacted either the police or the council they were told the footage was either broken, blurry, or not at the right angle.   

However, the Wellington City Council’s website said the cameras are operated and monitored 24/7. 

The council has been looking to cut funding in various places to make room for water pipe repairs. Swimming pools, libraries and the security cameras have the threat of being cut.  

This was frustrating to Kahuwairo, “Why not cut some of the $5 million the council spends on social media staff and the photographer who follows the mayor to her official events to take photos for her Instagram.”   

When asked for a statement, the Wellington City Council said: “We are working with DCM (Downtown Community Ministry), the Police and our Pōneke Promise partners on this complex issue, and looking at creative interventions to supplement the strong social support network available in Wellington.  

“We work in partnership across external partners and in a holistic approach across council, encompassing our Hāpai Ake and CCTV teams, our ‘Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design.”  

Hāpai Ake is a group of council workers who walk through Wellington City ensuring safety and welfare.  

Kahuwairo claimed she watches the workers every day doing “fuck all”.  

“There’d be a pile of rubbish, some trolley's, some bad behavior going on and somebody smoking a bong in the middle of the street. I would walk past and say, ‘are you guys gonna do anything?’ and they’d go ‘have you called the police?’.”  

The New Zealand Police said in a statement, “Police conduct regular foot-patrols through Wellington streets, with an increased presence during weekend evenings and during events when there are a number of people out in the street or at venues.”  

I wasn’t surprised to hear this from them: “Police can’t be everywhere, all the time.”  

“We offer safety and prevention advice to local businesses, and we work in partnership with key stakeholders with the ultimate goal of a safe and vibrant city with less victimization.”   

Downtown Community Ministry director Stephen Turnock said they had been working on decreasing the population of homeless people in Wellington City.   

Photo / DCM

“The problem is far too big for us to solve, and it does take a collaborative approach to reduce homelessness in Wellington.  

“You can't just click your finger and make them disappear, we can't just lock them all up.” 

Turnock is right that these people can’t all be put in prison. But ultimately, the future of welfare for Wellington strictly relies on the council’s choice between budget cuts, and the safety of residents.  

For now, I imagine the Manners on Manners Street Facebook page will continue to highlight Wellingtonians’ stories, but also warn those next to take a walk in the city.