Former Minister backs family violence prevention strategies
Combating family and sexual violence in New Zealand requires a 25-year strategy as that acknowledges the inter-generational nature of the problem.
That’s according to Greens co-leader and former Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Marama Davidson in response to claims from campaigner David White MNZM that the state has wasted $72m trying to reduce family harm and sexual offending.
White began advocating for solutions to New Zealand’s appalling family violence problems in the wake of the killing of his daughter Helen, who was shot dead by her husband Greg Meads in 2009.
He told the Waikato Times that the strategy “has failed”.
“There is nothing to show for it,” he said. “The rate of family and sexual violence continues unabated, with the numbers increasing and the levels of violence getting worse.”
He also said the Te Puna Aonui “whole of Government” should be replaced with funding for grassroots solutions, and took aim at the 25-year time line as simply a “job until they retire” scheme for bureaucrats.
Davidson told the Waikato Times the problems “have persisted throughout our communities across many generations”.
“Breaking this chain and eliminating violence will therefore require a forward thinking approach that strives to change the course we are currently on and have been on for so long,” she said.
“Te Aorerekura [the national strategy to eliminate family and sexual violence], is exactly this, a 25-year inter-generational strategy that acknowledges the severity of the situation and the need to put in place an enduring framework to counter the cycle of violence that previous short sighted approaches have failed to break.”
Davidson said positive results were being seen through community work, but “ending violence across the country will take at least a generation”.
She also said White’s experience of family violence - and his prevention work - is something “that must be respected”.
“There is more we agree on than disagree on. David wants what we all want – to stop violence from happening, for people who use harm to be accountable and for our families and the communities they live in to be safe,” she said.
“While Te Aorerekura provides us with a foundation to build the future we all want, this must be coupled with urgent action from Government now. We must invest in both funding community frontline services whilst also bolstering our Government agencies so they are well prepared to care for our communities.”
White said he was glad Davidson “admits that there needs to be action now from Government, and that is not happening”.
“What she doesn’t address in all her words in defence of Te Aorerekura, is that group have yet to provide any sort of structure or direction that means anything,” he said.
“It is a 25 year plan, and the working group was first formed now nine years ago under Bill English, and is on it’s third name change.”
White summed up the achievements so far bluntly: “Nothing. Diddlysquat”.
“What she does admit to now is that there needs to be urgent Government action now. And that is not happening, and didn’t while she was Minister,” he said.