Fixing family violence from within

New strategies aimed at understanding and eliminating family violence in Maori and Pacific communities were launched yesterday at Parliament.

The strategies aim to bring about a change in the attitude and behaviour of Maori and Pacific perpetrators of family violence by increasing understanding of the causes and effects of their actions.

They also aim to facilitate leadership, ensure the safety of Maori and Pacific people, and promote effective support services.

Government ministerial committee on family violence chairwoman Tariana Turia said the five-year strategy was a new start based on the old ways of the Maori and Pacific people.

"My focus has always been to focus on the potential of people to be the navigators of their own journeys, and that's why I'm so excited about the strategies, which move the debate along from talk to action."

Mrs Turia said the strategies would work because they gave communities the ability to find their own solutions.

"The strategy says what it doesn't want. It doesn't want quick fix programmes, inefficiency and duplication of services or programmes. Thisis the fundamental aspect of both strategies: knowing what works, and what doesn't."

The strategies are the result of the combined efforts of the Maori Reference Group and the Pacific Advisory Group after meeting families and communities around the country.

- NZPA