Amnesty International, NZ Council for Civil Liberties and Just Speak invite you to an evening workshop to explore an initiative to help collect information about issues in the police and prison systems in Aotearoa.

We hope this will help to understand how people in prison and policing spaces are treated, and how things could be better.

If you are not able to attend this event but you would like to share your insights with us, you are welcome to complete this online form: https://bit.ly/3hyORoW

Event Details:

-When: 6.00pm – 7.30pm on Wednesday 11 August.

-Where: 1st Floor Room 10 - Studio One Toi Tū . 1 Ponsonby Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland 1011 - Map.

-Registrations: RSVP on EventBrite, registrations close on Tuesday 10 August 4pm.

-Catering: Tea , coffee, soft drinks and pizza will be provided. Please include information about your dietary requirements on the EventBrite event registration form.

-Access: The main entrance to Studio One Toi Tū is at 1 Ponsonby Road. There is a ramp to access into the building in the rear through the side gates and down the driveway. The room is on the first floor, there is a lift available.

-Parking options: The venue carpark gets very busy, if there isn’t enough room in the at the back, there are a few other paid parking options in the area: Wilson Parking situated right next to Studio One Toi Tū to the right, Newton Parking across Hereford St on 536 Karangahape Road, Parkable on Karangahape Rd or Cobden Street or 2/12 Vinegar Lane, Pollen Street Car Park down Pollen Street, Tournament Parking on13 Howe St.

-Free Accessible parking: available at Wilson Parking situated right next to Studio One Toi Tū to the right.

-Street Parking may also be available on the following roads, please note these may be paid parking: Ponsonby Road, Crummer Road, Maidstone St, Chapman Street, Burgoyne Street, Nixon Street, Abbey Street, Ophir Street, Gundry Street.

More information:

For the moment we're calling the initiative the Prison and Police Watchdog in Aotearoa.

We want the watchdog to be designed with whānau and communities in mind, where we can understand how people in prison and policing spaces are treated, and how things could be better.

To make this happen, we need your help.

All of us, no matter who we are or where we come from, deserve to be treated with respect and care. Over the past year there have been multiple reports which highlight the racism, violence and inequity in our prison and policing systems. This cannot continue.

Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand, Just Speak NZ, and the NZ Council for Civil Liberties have developed a idea for a watchdog that is community-focused and independent. We believe this would help collect information to show where problems are, and from there get a stronger basis for ensuring the right solutions are delivered.

We want to prioritise people with lived experience of the justice system, as you have the most useful insights, and the best ideas on how things could be different. We’d be particularly keen to talk through how we can make this watchdog accessible, helpful and able to reach the people who need it.

It would be great to talk more about this idea with you, hear your whakaaro and see how it may support other initiatives or work you are involved in. We know a lot of work is already under way in the prison and policing spaces so we'd really appreciate hearing your views.