Hon Parekura Horomia
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment

Safeguarding whānau

Budget 2007 is investing $2 million over the next year in the training and support of people working to prevent violence in Māori whānau and communities.

There is a high prevalence of violence within too many Māori communities and Māori are significantly over-represented as both victims and perpetrators of violence within Aotearoa/New Zealand.

"This is something we must acknowledge and tackle - and we have to do it in a way that is relevant to our whānau," Mr Horomia said.

"The Mauri Ora Framework has been developed specifically to enable Māori to address whānau violence in a culturally appropriate and meaningful way."

The new funding will see on-going training support, resources and services for 60 family violence prevention practitioners, including those delivering Mauri Ora training.

It will also fund a working group to advise the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families on the implementation of initiatives to reduce violence within whānau and Māori communities, Mr Horomia said.

ENDS

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