Review Domestic Violence Act Says NZ First

New Zealand First social services spokesperson Bill Gudgeon has called for a review of protection order provisions and police responses to domestic incidents under the Domestic Violence Act.

“Domestic violence is a major problem for New Zealand women. It has been blamed for up to 27 deaths each year,” Mr Gudgeon said.

“Evidence suggests that the Domestic Violence Act has lost its effectiveness since it was introduced nine years ago because women are losing faith in the protection provisions that it offers.

“Women are being discouraged by court delays and the failure of the authorities, the courts and the police to enforce the law. Because of this, they are resorting to informal agreements which can’t be enforced by police who appear to have different interpretations of the Act anyway.

“This results in even further violence.

“The legislation should be amended to ensure that greater protection is given to victims of domestic violence, and that anyone who breaches a protection order is automatically arrested.

“More robust enforcement provisions and the need for greater collaboration between Police, Child Youth and Family, Courts, Women’s Refuge and Stopping Violence services are issues that should be considered in the review,” Mr Gudgeon concluded.

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>