look forward to hearing from other colleagues and continuing to
see this bill's passage
through the House. Thank you. I
call Priyanca Radhakrishnan.
Radhakrishnan.
I make a call on the Family and Whanau Violence Legislation Bill,
which is a step that
the previous government took towards
government took towards
strengthening the fabric, the
legislative fabric,
legislative fabric, that exists around family violence, or to
address family violence here in New
Zealand. I commend them for that. In
fact, I'll begin
my speech by commending the former Justice
Minister, the Hon Amy Adams, for the
work that she did to get the bill to
where it's at today. I will
also acknowledge and commend
the current Justice Minister, the Hon Andrew
Little, and also the undersecretary
to the minister,
Jan Logie, for the work that they've done, and continue
to do, to
to do, to address this issue as well. Previous speakers have talked
about what an issue family
violence is, quoted some
of the stats around why it's such an issue for us
here in New Zealand. So I
want, really, to get some of those points. But
I will make this point. The
social services and community select
committee recently, over the
last recess, visited Australia. The focus
of that trip was to look at
Australian initiatives
Australian initiatives that addressed poverty
And the one point that I want to make is that every single meeting we
had over there
make is that every single meeting we
ministers and Members of Parliament, government departments, or
indeed NGOs working at the front
line to address either of those two issues
the issue of family violence was brought up as a driver of all of
those issues. It is a complex issue.
Family violence is not just
a
health, and social issue that we must, indeed, eliminate here in New
Zealand. This bill
is an omnibus bill which overhauls the
Domestic Violence Act, and that's
a good thing. I'll
thing. I'll just quickly go through, in the time that I have, some of the
main points or main changes
that this piece of legislation, once
passed, will enact. The member
Jan Logie talked about the fact that
when a PSO or a Police Safety Order
is issued, that the ability to
obtain a
which is what this legislation will allow, is incredibly
important. Both so that the victim
and the perpetrator get the
types of support that
perpetrator get the types of support
for the victim to tie safe. And for the perpetrator to be supported to
actually
actually stop perpetrating violence
perptration of violence stops for us to be able to
eliminate this scourge. The second change, I guess,
that this bill makes is that
it changes society's understanding
of what family
what family violence is. Previous members have touched upon this
as well. So I will keep it brief. It
acknowledges the fact that
family violence can be one incident
of physical, sexual or
psychological violence that is significant, but
it is also a pattern of power and
control, of coercion and control.
I'm inneed excited
excited that this bill makes that point, because it's not one that
many have acknowledged
previously, including those who work
in the sector as well. The introduction
of a new offence of
sector as well. The introduction of
strangulation is critical, is crucial. I remember reading
somewhere that victim survivors
who have been strangled are seven times
more likely to be killed, to be a
victim of family
violence homicide. It's a major risk
indicator for homicide, and I'm pleased
that it's included in this bill. At the end
of the day, this bill presents us with
an option for a more
coordinated response to address family violence
and a whole host of changes that I
won't go into in more
detail, but it is a good bill, and that's
why there is
is a good bill, and that's why there
one point that I will make is that the member Jan Logie touched upon
the fact that this bill does include
an element
the fact that this bill does include
coerced or forced marriage, and therefore touches on some of
the issues that relate specifically
to women from
women from ethnic communities. Submissions have been made
during the select committee process
that indicate that this needs to
go further, that there are other issues
like dhari abuse that exist in
New Zealand that must be
addressed as well. Finally, I will say that this
bill sits alongside the
work that this Government is doing
to, indeed, eliminate family violence in
New Zealand, which includes the position
of the undersecretary
to the Justice Minister that focuses on domestic
and sexual violence, because it's
the first ever
internationally to focus on the elimination of
these forms of violence. Funding for
Budget 2018 and, indeed, prioritisation for a central agent
that will implement the coordinated
response to eliminate family
violence. Mr Speaker, it is indeed
my pleasure to commend this
bill to the House. Thank you.
the House. Thank you.
the motion be agreed to. Those of that opinion will say Aye. To the
contrary, No. The Ayes have it.
contrary, No. The Ayes have it. Family and Whanau Violence
This bill is set down for committee stage next sitting day. I call on
Government Order of the
Day No. 3. Education (Teaching Council
of Aotearoa New Zealand)
Amendment Bill
House in committee for consideration of the Education
(Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand)
Amendment Bill. Madam Chair. Mr Speaker.