Media Statement from the Glenn Inquiry

July 2, 2014

Justice Measures Useful Step Says Inquiry

The independent Glenn Inquiry sees the suite of measures announced by the Government today as a useful step towards building more responsive and reliable systems for preventing and dealing with family violence.

Inquiry chairman Bill Wilson QC says all workable measures successive governments come up with to protect lives from family violence are welcome but we must not lose sight of the scale of this problem.

Thirty-five people on average a year are losing their lives to family violence, and many thousands more are affected, and as the voices in the recent People’s Report indicate, New Zealand needs a culture shift to reduce these statistics.

This will require redesigned systems across all parts of society and government, of which individual measures such as those announced today are important, but only a part.

Mr Wilson said he was pleased to see the idea of electronic tagging getting traction with the government, especially as it places the focus on offenders, rather than leaving it to victims to keep themselves safe.

"But the task is far from over, and I challenge all political parties to reach a cross-party accord on progressing a fundamental reform of the way New Zealand handles family violence.

“The Inquiry will watch with interest the manifesto positions parties take in the weeks leading up to the election.

“The Inquiry in the meantime is getting on with its work of producing a Blueprint for Change before the end of the year that will propose a new model with detailed recommendations for addressing child abuse and domestic violence."

ENDS

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