'Optics aren't very good': Denis O'Reilly on the Greens meeting with the Mongrel Mob

A lifelong gang member says Green Party decisions around gangs this week have a bad look.

Greens and  Te Pāti Māori MPs this week visited the Mongrel Mob HQ, posing for photos.

The Greens say they'd consider dumping the patch ban, and are open to mob-delivered drug-rehab work.

Denis O'Reilly says the patch bans reduced aggressive behaviour. 

He says gangs mightn't be the best to lead anti-meth programmes. 

"It's probably not a hell of a good channel at the moment, there are plenty of community-based organisations that aren't gangs, per se, but involve gang whanau." 

LISTEN ABOVE

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• ‘Sick joke’: Nats call out Greens over willingness to fund Mob's drug schemes
• Greens vow to reverse National’s $2.4b public sector cuts