Emilie Rākete

Emilie Rākete (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa) is a prisoner advocate from Tāmaki Makaurau and a grad student at the University of Auckland studying the political economy of prisons in Aotearoa. She is one of the founders of People Against Prisons Aotearoa.

Ātea
Jun 26, 2020

All the iwi liaison officers in the world won't reform the NZ Police

A video of the arrest of an Auckland man has gone viral, as police violence goes under the microscope globally. It's all part of a familiar cycle, writes Emilie Rākete.

Read on.

Ātea
Jun 4, 2020

The whakapapa of police violence

From 1846, various militia formed the New Zealand Armed Constabulary Force, to 'combat Māori hostiles and to keep civil order'. In 1885 they changed uniforms and became the NZ Police.

Read on.

Ātea
Oct 22, 2019

Armed police patrols are a dangerous response to a non-existent problem

On Friday it was announced that Armed Offenders Squad patrols will be trialled in Counties Manukau, Waikato and Canterbury over the next six months.

Read on.

Ātea
Aug 24, 2019

The Ngawha scandal proves Corrections cannot be trusted to change its own culture

On Monday the government announced its new five-year strategy to reduce the Māori prison population. Emilie Rākete looks at another 'kaupapa Māori' prison initiative that degrades prisoners and asks if Corrections are capable of seeing it through.

Read on.

Gaming
Mar 29, 2019

Free armour trimming: The Communist revolution inside Runescape

Before Fortnite, there was Runescape. And well before Runescape, there was an eternal class struggle. Emilie Rākete writes about the moment the two collided in the most unexpected way.

Read on.

Society
Mar 2, 2019

Unsafe and unjustified: Cops carrying guns endangers us all

Frontline police in Christchurch have been told to carry guns until further notice following two incidents in the city during which police were shot at. But more guns are not the answer, argues Emilie Rākete.

Read on.

Society
Feb 9, 2019

Police uniforms were a deal breaker at Pride. So why weren’t they at Waitangi?

Just days before today's Pride march, from which police withdrew after insisting on wearing uniform, officers were seemingly happy to be deployed in casual clothes at Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

Read on.

Ātea
Nov 26, 2018

The Pride Parade issue is about racism too

Emilie Rākete on the issue that many of the Pride sponsors and participants have overlooked – it's not just about a history of transphobia and homophobia, it's about racism too.

Read on.

Ātea
Aug 28, 2018

Is New Zealand exploiting prison workers?

US prisoners went on strike last week. And the conditions they're protesting aren't that different to those in New Zealand.

Read on.

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