Jan Logie

Under-Secretary to the Minister of Justice (Domestic and Sexual Violence Issues)

18 December 2018 MEDIA STATEMENT
Māori advisory group on family violence and sexual violence starts work

The Māori advisory group to the Government’s joint venture on family violence and sexual violence began their work today at their first meeting in Wellington.

“Te Rōpū marks a significant change to the way Government works with Māori to address some of our most complex and difficult problems,” says Jan Logie. “It brings together a wide range of expertise from across the motu.

“Our work to stop family violence and sexual violence is critical, and needs Māori leadership. There are a few ways we can do that, and we didn’t want to make that decision unilaterally. That’s why this interim group has been appointed.

“We want people who are grounded in Māori communities and have a huge breadth of experience and knowledge of these issues to be making that call.”

“We know that it’s imperative we learn from kaupapa Māori responses to violence, and unlock the solutions that are already out there, because they work.

The interim group will work in partnership with government Ministers and the joint venture on family violence and sexual violence to develop a national strategy and action plan, and inform enduring arrangements for Māori involvement in the Government’s work in this area.

Prue Kapua, the Chair of Te Rōpū, says “The members of the interim Te Rōpū are committed to working in partnership with the Crown to facilitate the development and implementation of appropriate Māori responses to family and sexual violence in our communities.

“Statistics show the system has failed, and Te Rōpū signals a step-change in the way the Crown is working with us to incorporate Māori focussed solutions and aspirations for reducing sexual violence and violence within whānau.”

A list of Te Rōpū members and short biographies is below.

Interim Te Rōpū appointments – December 2018

1 As Chair, Prue Kapua is a self-employed lawyer specialising in family law, human rights, race relations, and Treaty of Waitangi issues with a predominantly Māori client base. Prue brings a wealth of governance, legal, tikanga Māori, co-design and advocacy expertise to the Interim Te Rōpū, and was a member of the business unit’s Māori expert group. Current governance roles include: National President, Māori Women’s Welfare League (since 2014) and member since 1993; Co-chair of Oranga Tamariki Māori Design Group; Chair of WHO Compliance Panel Ministry of Health (since 2008), Trustee Māori Women’s Development Inc. (since 2014) and Patron of Pacific Women’s Watch NZ.

2 Ruahine (Roni) Albert (member) is of Waikato Maniapoto, Tuwharetoa descent. She is a passionate advocate for social justice and has continuously worked at the local, national and international level to improve government and community services for family violence survivors. Roni is one of the co-founders of Te Whakaruruhau Waikato Women’s Refuge (32 years) – the first Māori women’s refuge created under the National Collective of Independent Womens Refuges in 1986, and now independent from the National Collective since 2013, Te Whakaruruhau is the country’s largest women’s refuge. Roni helped to establish a system response within Waikato that ensures that the safety of women and children is paramount. Roni is a member of the Ministry of Social Development’s E Tu Whānau Māori Reference Group. Roni has also been a member of the: Expert Design Group which co-designed the Family Violence, Sexual Violence and Violence within Whānau Workforce Capability Framework; and New Zealand Police’s External Māori Advisory Group.

3 Ngaropi Cameron (member) is a foundation member and Director of Tu Tama Wahine o Taranaki. Tu Tama Wahine is a tangata whenua development and liberation organisation. Ngaropi is a registered nurse and counsellor, and a senior family violence facilitator, educator, and whānau practitioner. She has over 40 years’ experience in services for stopping family violence (adult protected persons, children, and male respondents). Ngaropi is co-author of several wellbeing publications and is conducting research on trauma informed care. Ngaropi is a former member of the: National Domestic Violence Programme Providers Panel; Māori Reference Group to Task Force on Violence; Family Violence Death Review Committee; Jigsaw Executive Board; and Taranaki District Health Board Family Violence Expert Panel. She is a recipient of The Nursing Network on Violence Against Women International – For Excellence in Nursing Practice (2011).

4 Ange Chaney (member) is Ngāti Hine. Ange is the Manager of Te Whare Rokiroki Māori Women’s Refuge (9 years), and a member of the Te Taumata o Te Kowhai Core Group (the governance board) for the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuge (NCIWR). Ange brings extensive experience in the family violence sector from both a national and local perspective. Ange is: the Co-chair for the Wellington Te Rito Family Violence Network, and a member of Wellington Oranga Tamariki Care and Protection Panel, and the Capital Coast District Health Board Violence Intervention Programme Steering Group. A former service development co-ordinator for NCIWR (four years), Ange holds a BA in Social Work from Massey University.

5 Paora Crawford Moyle (member) is Ngāti Porou and a Social Work Lecturer at NorthTec School of Social Services, a supervisor for women’s refuge workers and a counsellor for state care survivors. A survivor of 14 years in state care and adult intimate partner abuse, Paora has 27 years social work experience and a Master of Social Work (1st Class Honours). Paora is writing a PhD on child care and protection, whakapapa trauma and state care survivor resilience. Paora has presented at numerous child protection and violence prevention conferences, and published extensively. Paora brings multiple perspectives including transgendered/takataapui lived experience. Her networks include: the LGBTI community; Faith-based Care Survivors.;. Paora is a: registered member of the Social Workers Registration Board, and graduate of Te Korowai Aroha o Aotearoa, and Massey and Victoria Universities.

6 Te Owai Gemmell (member) is Te Whakatōhea, Te Whānau ā Apanui, and Ngā Ruahinerangi, a lecturer at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, Te Owai is a sexual violence specialist and long-time member of Ngā Kaitiaki Mauri (the Māori caucus of) Te Ohaakii a Hine-National Network Ending Sexual Violence Together (TOAH-HNEST). Te Owai has over 30 years experience in social work, whānau development, and sexual abuse specialist services from a kaupapa Māori worldview. Te Owai was a member of the business unit’s Māori expert group, and has lectured in social work and facilitated workshops on preventing sexual violence, parenting programmes, and kaupapa Māori social work and counselling. She is a trained facilitator for the Ministry of Education’s Domestic Violence Programme, with qualifications in Māori governance, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, and Diplomas in Social Work and Teaching. Te Owai is a Māori Wardens NZ life member.

7 Roku Mihinui (member) is an independent consultant and director with extensive governance experience and a long history in stopping family violence. A member of the business unit’s Māori expert group, Roku is Chair of the Ministry of Social Development’s E Tu Whānau Māori Reference Group and a member of Oranga Tamariki Māori Design Group. Roku is a member of NZ Directors Association and a former: technical advisor to Whānau Ora Māori Partnership Group; CYFS Youth Justice Supervisor; social worker; and probation officer. Roku holds a: Bachelor of Applied Social Science, Diploma in Criminology, and Post-Graduate Diploma in Social Work.

8 Susan Ngawati Osborne (member) is Ngāti Hine and a: self-employed educational consultant/trainer in Te Ara Whakamana: Mana Enhancement; and kaupapa Māori practitioner in sexual and family violence. Susan is an Executive Paetakawaenga Ngā Kaitiaki Mauri member of TOAH-HNEST and a current Kaiwhakahaere for Tu Wahine Trust (10 years). The Trust provides kaupapa Māori counselling, therapy and support for survivors of sexual harm and violence within whānau in other relationships, and stranger sexual harm.

9 Russell Smith (member) is a Co-founder and Co-Director of Korowai Tumanako – A Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB) and Sexual Violence treatment, intervention and prevention service. Korowai Tumanako deliver a number of services including professional development education to practitioners, whānau, social service groups, universities and government agencies. Russell has led a clinical team for many years, providing therapeutic services for children, adolescents and adults demonstrating harmful sexual behaviour primarily against children. He holds an in-depth understanding of the dynamics of sexual violence from both victim/survivor and perpetrator perspectives which informs his approach to sexual violence prevention. Russell has contributed to several sexual violence research publications, including an academic book on Māori clinical practice ‘Moemoea’ and the Taskforce for Action on Sexual Violence ‘Te Toiora Mata Tauherenga (2009). Russell is a member of the Respect and Inclusion Advisory Panel to the NZ Rugby Union and Paetakawaenga Ngā Kaitiaki Mauri member of TOAH-HNEST.

10 Sir Mark Solomon (member) is a professional director and the former Chair of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu (18 years). He has spoken publicly on the impact of family violence and abuse, and encouraged whānau to take action through a series of hui throughout the South Island, and championed a stopping whānau violence programme called Tū Pono (Stand in Truth) in partnership with Te Pūtahitanga.[1]Current government appointments include: Deputy Chair of Canterbury District Health Board and member of the Police Commissioner’s Māori Focus Group (since 2007), the Ministry of Social Development’s Family Violence Prevention Group and E Tu Whānau Māori Advisory Group, and Post Settlement Advisory Group. All Sir Mark Solomon’s governance roles have required a fiduciary responsibility to a large number of stakeholders, and involved engaging with the Crown - regional/local government and across advocacy groups. Current voluntary sector boards appointments include Te Korowai (since 2008) and the Greater Christchurch Partnership Group (since 2014). Sir Mark Solomon’s awards include a NZ Order of Merit – Knight Companion for services to Māori and Business and an Honorary Doctorate from Lincoln University.

1] http://www.teputahitanga.org/tu-pono/.

ends

© Scoop Media