Police will be able to issue safety orders for victims of family violence for up to 10 days to give them more time to arrange their affairs under proposed changes to the Family and Whānau Violence Bill currently before Parliament.
Justice Minister Andrew Little and Under-Secretary Jan Logie announced the changes today as the Family and Whānau Violence Bill passed its second reading in Parliament with unanimous support.
The most significant change is extending the maximum length of police-issued safety orders from five t o10 days.
"This will provide victims with more time to put in place safety arrangements at a crucial point in time," Little said.
Other changes include: