Govt puts $114.5m towards ‘safe homes’

The Government has committed $114.5 million over four years to roll out Te Aorerekura – a national strategy aiming to eliminate sexual and family violence in a generation.

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, who is also the minister in charge of sexual and family violence prevention, announced the funding package yesterday.

The money would go towards better primary prevention services and support for community-led responses, she said.

In the funding, $37.6m will go towards existing initiatives – such as the Campaign for Action on Family Violence, E Tū Whānau and Pasefika Proud – as well as developing three further initiatives – ethnic communities, older people and youth.

‘‘With our support, these community-led initiatives can continue to make a real difference to peoples’ lives, helping shift social norms and build strong, resilient whānau who are free from violence,’’ Davidson said.

An extra $38.1m will expand integrated community-led responses, which Davidson said recognised the best solutions to complex social challenges came from within communities with the support of Government agencies.

A further $8.1m is earmarked for addressing cost pressures in the health system and allow for more victims to have access to timely and specialist assessments.

There will also be $26.7m across several initiatives to help ensure the people working in their communities to prevent family violence and sexual violence have the knowledge, skills, capacity and organisational support they need.

An additional $4m will build on the funding for Māori-Crown partnership arrangements in Budget 2021, by funding a wider crosssection of communities to engage with government in collective monitoring, sharing and learning.

‘‘Over the last four years we have taken action to address chronic underfunding across the system and laid the foundations for change. Today, we are building on that work and investing to change the way we do things so we can help create safe homes where all children, families and whānau can thrive,’’ Davidson said.

The Government says it will spend $6 billion in the May 19 Budget, and has already revealed some initiatives, including funding for truancy prevention and more police.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson said this year’s budget would focus on climate change and health reforms.