Table of Contents Show
Harry Tam’s story is not a simple one!
He is a lifetime member of the Mongrel Mob, one of New Zealand’s most well‑known gangs, but he is also a man who has spent decades working to help people who live on society’s edges.
Born in Masterton and raised in Wellington, Tam grew up as the youngest of three children in a Chinese‑New Zealand family.
His life shows how someone can come from hardship and still try to build bridges between gangs, government, and communities.
Early Life Shaped by Struggle
Tam’s parents came from Guangdong, China. His father first worked in a laundry in New Zealand before returning to China to marry his mother. When Tam was just a year old, the family moved to Newtown, Wellington, where they ran a small diner across from the hospital.
He often speaks about his childhood challenges. In an interview with E‑Tangata in 2021, Tam recalled going to school knowing only two English words, “lollies” and “chocolate,” and facing constant bullying. “
Even to this day it touches a raw nerve with me,” he said about the racist taunts he endured.
Despite these hardships, he pushed through school, attending Rongotai College and earning a Sixth Form Certificate.
Finding a Path in Activism and the Mob
Tam’s path into the Mongrel Mob was not through crime but through community work. His form teacher, Burmese immigrant Bill Maung, ran a community school and worked with Māori youth.
Tam helped him run activities and also helped set up crash pads for young people in need of shelter.
Through these connections, he met members of the Mongrel Mob. By the mid‑1970s, he was part of the Porirua chapter and later worked with the Dunedin chapter.
He convinced Dunedin City Council to give gang members forestry work to keep them out of trouble. “They said to me:
‘You’ve got us into changing our ways and not fighting. Why don’t you help us more?’” Tam told E‑Tangata.
Tam went on to work with the Department of Labour, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, and other government agencies, always focusing on youth and employment.
A Career in Public Service and Community Work
Tam’s work has often blurred the lines between gang life and public service. He co‑founded Hard 2 Reach (H2R), a group that helps with cultural reports for courts and runs programmes like the Kahukura meth treatment programme.
In 2021, the New Zealand Government confirmed that it had funded H2R with nearly NZ$3 million over four years to run the programme at Tapairu Marae, alongside local Mongrel Mob leader Sonny Smith and his wife Mahinaarangi Smith.
The funding sparked political debate, but Tam defended the initiative as a way to support people struggling with addiction. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern later confirmed she had approved the funding.
Tam has also been involved in producing cultural reports that courts use to better understand offenders’ backgrounds.
Facing Criticism and Staying Involved
Public life has not been without controversy for Tam. In the 1990s, he was convicted for assaulting his then‑wife, an event that continues to be raised by critics.
In 2021, he was criticised for appearing in a video making a “Sieg Heil” gesture, which Jewish leaders and MPs condemned. Tam later acknowledged that the gesture was inappropriate.
In October 2021, Winston Peters, leader of New Zealand First, accused Tam of helping someone breach Auckland’s COVID‑19 border. Tam threatened legal action, and Peters later issued a public apology.
Speaking Out About Politics
Tam is open about his views on politics. He organised voter drives in 2017 and again before the 2023 general election, encouraging Māori voters in marginal seats to consider switching from the Māori roll to the general roll to have a stronger impact.
He has criticised tough‑on‑gang policies, arguing they do not address the reasons people join gangs. In a 2021 TVNZ Q+A interview with Jack Tame, Tam said,
“Prisons are a prime recruiting ground for gangs,”
explaining how poverty and abuse push many young people into gang life.
A Private Family Life
Tam has kept his personal family details private. He has two older sisters, but their names and whereabouts are not public.
He has been married before and has children, but he has not shared their names or details.
Passions and Interests Beyond Work
Away from the headlines, Tam enjoys rebuilding and racing old V8 cars and often plays table tennis several times a week to stay fit.
He has said these hobbies help him step away from the heavy issues he deals with daily.
Still Standing Up
Despite the criticism and public scrutiny, Harry Tam continues to work with gangs and communities. He believes that change comes from understanding people’s histories and giving them real opportunities. As he told E‑Tangata:
“At the end of the day, what is important to me is doing the work you need to do to help people succeed. That’s what I’m on about.”
Harry Tam remains a complex and controversial figure in New Zealand — a man who carries a gang patch but also carries the hopes of those who have been left behind.
Want to comment on this article? Send feedback our way.
