Whanau determining our own solutions

Tariana Turia, Co-leader of the Maori Party, and spokesperson on Whanau Development

“On a day when the ‘Taskforce for Action on Violence’ is released, it is outrageous to learn that there is no funding to support the local level interventions which are so desperately needed by our families" said Tariana Turia, Co-leader for the Maori Party.

There appear to be no local level contracts which target family violence from MSD, CYFS or Health.

"I am aware of an expert Maori family violence project, Project Mauriora, which has produced a skilled workforce of 275 whanau violence practitioners, yet I have learnt today that their workforce is not being able to attract any local level funding".

“Project Mauriora was committed towards drawing on our kaupapa and tikanga, as tools to help work towards a life-long commitment to the restoration of peace within our whanau”.

“Project Mauriora has been achieving outcomes better than we ever thought” said Tariana Turia today.

"What is so bizarre to me, is that Project Mauriora came out of a family violence taskforce of expert practitioners and yet here's another taskforce a couple of years later, producing another report, and yet still there's no funding to make a real difference on the ground".

The funding allocated in Budget 2006 was for family violence prevention agencies with funding for things such as 24-hour crisis lines, counselling, safe-house accommodation, advocacy and information.

"Whilst I support the important work these agencies do, it is at the local level of communities, in our homes, working with our families - such as the hapu and iwi practitioners trained through Project Mauriora - that the real difference lies" said Mrs Turia.

"I have been wondering, if this is due to the fact that Project Mauriora was one of the projects that I steered through Government that means it hasn't received the support it has - just like the Treaty of Waitangi Unit which I advocated for, and which was shut down at the end of last month".

"Should our people be punished because it was another good idea of Tariana Turia?"

Ends

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