Residents of the south Auckland's Ramarama are outraged at the Department of Corrections' plan to house parolees - potentially including child sex offenders - at a property close to two local schools.
The department wants to establish a residential service on Ararimu Road that will house and provide support for up to nine men who will be reintegrated into the community after being released from a correctional facility.
Operations director for the northern region Julie Harrison confirmed residents at the property may have at least one conviction for sexual offending against children.
Corrections has recently started alerting the community, including door knocking, to ensure residents are aware of the new service.
However, many locals expressed outrage online that a child sex offender could be housed near local schools, with the property situated only 2.1km and 5.3km away from Ramarama School and Ararimu School respectively.
One commenter called the proposal "extremely concerning".
"Well my kids sure won't be walking to and from school anymore. Can't be sure that Peach Hill reserve is safe either for the kids to play in," said another.
One person said their elderly neighbour was "horrified" by the news and had concerns for her safety.
Harrison confirmed Corrections "do not make any final decisions until we have engaged with the community". The department has met with local principals, elected officials and neighbours so far and plans to meet with "other representatives in the coming weeks".
While she said the feedback has "largely been positive", she said she understood the community's concerns.
"We know the location of people convicted of offending against children is a concern for communities, and we work hard to balance this concern with our obligation to safely manage people who are lawfully required to be released from prison," she said.
"Public safety is our top priority, and no person would be permitted to reside at the property if we considered their risk could not be safely managed and public safety upheld. If someone is interested in living at the property, they will have to undertake a careful and robust assessment and selection process. The service is opt-in and a resident will have to be motivated to live there and receive the support provided."
The proposed property is a former meatworks in a rural area and is private, Harrison said. It has a long driveway and no clear views of neighbouring residential properties.
If the proposed service does go ahead, Corrections said it will look to establish a community representative group so locals can be involved in how the service is delivered and provide feedback.
Harrison said it also doesn't expect the crime rates in Ramarama will increase as a result of the service.
Those who live at the property will be required to follow parole conditions.
"Conditions can include curfews, GPS and electronic monitoring, not consuming alcohol or drugs and participation in a reintegrative and/or rehabilitation programme. Community Corrections monitors people’s compliance with these conditions, holds them to account for any breaches, and delivers rehabilitation programmes and interventions that help them to live crime free."
