Māori Party is backing The People’s Report call to overhaul the justice system

The Māori Party applauds ‘The People’s Report’ - The People’s Inquiry into Addressing Child Abuse and Domestic Violence which is calling for an effective national strategy and has recommended some key action points to prevent domestic violence and child abuse.

“We also whole-heartedly support the call to overhaul the justice system, including the courts and the police – which the report suggests has often created more victimisation.”

“The stories told by the survivors in this report are heart-wrenching – particularly because so often they reflect the fact that these survivors have been let down by systemic failings. This report has given them a voice and we can learn from their experiences with the system,” says Co-Leader Te Ururoa Flavell.

“But the issues raised in the report are not new. We have known about them for years – but creating collaboration amongst Government agencies has often been difficult to achieve. The issues are complex and they are issues that the Māori Party and others have been raising in relation to the well-being of whānau for years. We support a national strategy with the aims and objectives raised in the paper – because many of them reflect the objectives of Whānau Ora – and we believe this is at the heart of health and well-being for our whanau,” says Co-Leader Tariana Turia.

“The call for a national strategy that adopts a zero tolerance to child abuse and domestic violence, that it promote and strengthen family relationships, that it protect those affected, prevent abuse and violence, restore relationships and families for the benefit of children and that the systems are overhauled, especially the justice and legal systems are all strategies we support.”

“We also support the actions recommended that reflect a Whānau Ora approach and include refining documentation to eliminate inaccuracies, early intervention, building a skilled workforce, prevention via education, equitable approaches, community action and inter-agency collaboration,” says Tariana Turia.

“Current programmes such as E Tū Whānau, which is a Māori-led response to high levels of family violence in New Zealand, work best when families and communities take ownership and action for themselves within whānau and hapū, and where a kaupapa Māori delivery framework is used. This is Whānau Ora in action,” says Dr Pita Sharples.

“This report is a great opportunity to recognise that so much more needs to be done to eliminate violence from our homes and communities and that no-one is exempt from the responsibility to rid our lives of violence. We must all step up, honour the stories told today with strategies that show we have listened and learnt from their experiences,” says Dr Pita Sharples.

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