Action plan to tackle family violence

An ambitious plan to counter family violence was unveiled yesterday.

The Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families, set up last year to tackle the issue, says recommendations to be implemented by June next year include:

* Setting up three family violence courts in the Wellington region and one in Auckland.

* A crackdown on those who fail to attend court-ordered therapy courses, such as non-violence courses, and those who violate protection orders.

* Research to accurately measure the level of family violence.

* A process to review family violence-related deaths to better understand the circumstances that lead to family violence.

* Interaction from police, Child Youth and Family, Government and non-government agencies to better support children in homes that are prone to violence.

* Having 40 per cent more people eligible for legal aid from March next year. Several advocacy groups, including Plunket and Relationship Services, welcomed the plan.

The taskforce has canvassed a broad spectrum of opinion and brought together the heads of several government and non-government agencies, including Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro, Police Commissioner Howard Broad and the chief judges of the Family Court and the District Court.

"I don't know which sector has been missed out," said Rajen Prasad, chief commissioner of the Families Commission.

"This is a unique situation. It's not like presenting a report or a plan that goes into a process where you have to find the money.

"The money is there and the work has already started."

Jane Drumm, executive director of Preventing Violence in the Home, said: "It is a plan for action, not a plan for another report, or lots more talk . It says, 'this department will do this by this time', and that shows absolute intent and commitment. This is getting a whole lot of things that we have wanted for years and years."

Principal Family Court Judge Peter Boshier highlighted the importance of boosting the reach of legal aid.

"It's really important that victims of violence are funded to be able to apply for protection orders. The last thing they need is to find they have no money ... so they can't get near a Family Court."

Chief District Court Judge Russell Johnson, who helped set up Family Violence courts in Manukau and Waitakere City, said more specialised courts would bring a quicker path to justice.

"Victims can usually sustain a willingness to go through with the judicial process for about six weeks, so you need a process that is speedy enough," he said.

The plan also includes $11.5 million over four years to tackle the long-term goal of changing attitudes and behaviours of New Zealanders.

The taskforce condemned New Zealand's record of family violence as "shameful". It said it was present in all cultures and socio-economic groups, and the predominant pattern was male violence directed at a female partner.

Its chairman, Peter Hughes, said it would take years to turn the tide.

National Party associate welfare spokeswoman Anne Tolley gave the report a cautious welcome.

The success of the taskforce will be reviewed in June 2007.