Māori Party supports People's Blueprint on addressing family violence

The Māori Party supports key recommendations made in the People's Blueprint report on family violence released by the Glenn Inquiry today.

"We support the call for the Government to provide visible leadership on family violence by appointing a dedicated Family Violence Minister and we believe a law change would help create a culture where there is less tolerance for violence in our society," says Māori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell.

Mr Flavell says the report aligns well with the recommendations of the Expert Advisory Group on Family Violence established by former Minister, Tariana Turia, to identify practical solutions to address and prevent family violence.

“It is wonderful to see some of those strategies led by Tariana Turia echoed in the People’s Blueprint,” says Mr Flavell.

The Māori Party strongly supports the focus of reforming New Zealand’s alcohol laws as a key contributor to violence within families.

Another key recommendation of the Expert Advisory Group was that the Government pass new legislation (the prevention of and protection from Family Violence Act) to demonstrate that violence in all its forms is an intolerable violation of human rights.

Māori Party Co-leader Marama Fox believes a law change would make a difference.

"As a society we need to declare in no uncertain terms that we won't tolerate violence in our homes. Today, we're reeling as a country at the senseless death of Heidi Scott by her former partner and the attempted murder on her son and partner yesterday on the North Shore. These shocking cases need to stop. There are no easy solutions but the practical approach promoted by the People's Blueprint report and the Expert Advisory Group on Family Violence provide some pathways out of this crisis," says Mrs Fox.

The People’s Blueprint urges the need to create community-based early interventions that target and engage perpetrators in breaking the cycle of family violence. The Māori Party agrees in part with this recommendation, but suggests a more comprehensive approach should involve a whānau-focus.

“The impact of Whānau Ora, E Tu Whanau and Ngā Vaka o Kaiga Tapu has been significant in signalling that families can turn their lives around if they are provided with the appropriate support” says Te Ururoa Flavell, Co-leader of the Maori Party.

“The Blueprint provides a fundamental basis for bold action in implementing the strategy introduced by Tariana. By bringing the voices of New Zealanders to the forefront of the report, it should strengthen the incentive to act now, to act decisively and with conviction, to enable prevention of family violence by enacting solutions owned and delivered by families themselves,” says Mrs Fox.

ENDS

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