I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER*

 * Not the answer to "the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything."

We all know now that it was 42.

No, I don't know the solution to the gang problem in New Zealand.

After penning not one but four posts today I thought that I deserved a sit down and a glass of chardonnay (Selaks Buttery from Hawkes Bay) but, when watching the 6 O'Clock news, I saw the mayhem caused by the Mongrel Mob funeral in Opotiki.

Here's the NZ Herald coverage:

MONGRELS

The TV One report (I looked for it to copy and paste but without success) was a balanced news report with a very literate female spokesperson for the Mongrel Mob speaking of Mongrel Mob Barbarians president Steven Taiatini who was murdered last week and recounting of what a benefit to the community he'd been. Well, I reserve my judgement on that as he could have been of greater benefit to the community if he hadn't 'worked' for an illegal organisation that is funded from the manufacture and selling of dangerous drugs, prostitution, theft and robbery and a host of other violent activities.

The police were on hand, in force (taking them away from important other duties) to ensure that there was no disorder. This didn't stop supporters driving dangerously (hanging out of car windows, riding on the back of utes etc,) and doing things that you and I would be arrested for. One arsehole, in an over-filled car hung out the window and shouted "Sieg Heil"!

This high-handed approach to law and order by the gangs in New Zealand gets my goat. They do things that the ordinary, responsible, law-abiding and tax and rate-paying citizens would get censured, arrested, fined or imprisoned for. Something has to give.

I also get pissed off by the apologists who come out to say what a great thing these guys do for the community. The very communities that they prey on, rob, undermine with drug usage and ultimately destroy. Some of these gangs employ professional PR and marketing people to lobby politicians and to spin to the media. Give me a break.

Successive Governments mumble about doing something but insufficiently fund the policing organisations who could do something about it. It's time for Maori - yes, Maori with a big capital 'M', to step up and sort out this stuff. If the country had a ballsy and responsible Maori political party - not the various fragmented and self-serving entities that exist at present, then ownership of Maori community problems could be a real thing.

But ... as I said ... I don't know the answer.