Published: NZ Herald, 27 November 2016.
More than 100 people from a seaside village on the shores of Kaipara Harbour attended a meeting in the community hall to tackle the growing issue of P use.
Health and welfare providers met with Tinopai locals last week to help support the community and whanau deal with the methamphetamine (P) problem.
Whanau Ora co-ordinator and social worker Christiane Rudolph-Anania said members of the Tinopai community asked Te Ha Oranga for help in their quest to eradicate meth use in the area.
"We really want some answers in terms of dealing with the issue of meth," Tinopai Resource Management member Mina Henare said.
The community already knew what some of the issues were, and a major one was a lack of services in the region, she said.
"Tinopai has nothing. We don't have a shop, we don't have rubbish bins, and we've got no amenities and no public toilets out by the wharf."
Ms Henare said the region had been "totally neglected".
"The reflection of it is that the kids have nothing to do and so they act out."
Miss Henare and Tinopai Cares spokeswoman Faith Edwards said an increase in meth use by youths had resulted in an increase in police call outs to the area.
Ms Edwards said she knew of someone who was selling up because they no longer felt safe living in the community.
The women said they are keen to find answers to the P problem before another generation was affected.
Meeting organiser Miss Rudolph-Anania said Te Ha Oranga, an iwi based health service provider which covers the Ngati Whatua region, has led the way in supporting the call for change.
Its strategy is to take information, support and knowledge to the doorstep of the people.
"A Whanau Ora approach will be applied to the community initiative by way of wrapping professionals and services around the community to support change," Miss Rudolph-Anania said.