Latest news with #KarenChhour
Scoop
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
10,000 To Get Family And Sexual Violence Training
Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Better, and more, training to help staff support in family and sexual violence responses are being rolled out across frontline services, with the goal of reaching 10,000 workers in the next two years. Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour says, 'this will ensure victim-survivors receive best practice support, and will empower staff to safely recognise, refer, and respond to family and sexual violence.' 'This training is an important part of our response to family and sexual violence. I am proud of our progress against the second Te Aorerekura Action Plan, it shows the benefits of a multi-agency response and the dedication of government departments to best supporting victim-survivors.' Other progress against the Action Plan includes: The Ministry of Justice has delivered training to over 800 members of its court-related workforce. Ongoing training is expected to reach up to 500 people per year. The Department of Corrections has given essential-level family violence training to more than 4,700 of its staff. In 2024, Police redesigned the course for new recruits to include two weeks' family violence training. Over 550 Police recruits received training in that first year, and over 850 recruits are expected to receive training by the end of 2025. 'The Action Plan sets out a number of key actions to be achieved, including training 10,000 frontline workers in family violence and sexual violence over two years. 'These goals are bold. Achieving them will require strong cross-agency collaboration and re-enforced commitment to this focus area as a priority. 'This boldness is needed to improve the support provided to victim-survivors and will empower these frontline workers to undertake their roles with the greatest care,' says Mrs Chhour.
Scoop
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Greatly Reduced Confidence In Min Chhour - Non-Violence Sector
As a group of violence-prevention experts and practitioners, the Coalition for the Safety of Women and Children is appalled and shocked that the Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence has dis-established Te Pūkotahitanga, a critical Māori voice at the national decision-making table. Te Pūkotahitanga is the Māori-led collective developed to ensure accountability, shared leadership, and cultural integrity under Te Aorerekura (the National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violene and Sexual Violence). The unilateral action to disestablish this partnership body by Minister Karen Chhour has greatly reduced community and sector confidence in her leadership and in the Crown's commitment to Te Aorerekura. It is disrespectful to both Māori and non-Māori, and furthers the systematic erosion of Tiriti-based governance, entrenching distrust of the Crown across all communities. As an umbrella of predominantly tauiwi-led violence-prevention organisations, the Coalition rejects the idea that removing Te Pūkotahitanga will benefit non-Māori. On the contrary, we agree with the outgoing members of Te Pūkotahitanga that it is by honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and upholding Māori solutions that we ensure safety and equity for all communities across Aotearoa. We also agree with Te Pūkotahitanga that the unilateral actions of the Crown directly contravene the principles of Te Aorerekura, including shared leadership, tikanga Māori, and Tiriti-based partnership in all governance and decision-making processes. We acknowledge the huge significance of Te Pūkotahitanga's reclamation of the name 'Te Puna Aonui' on the basis the Crown is no longer honouring its responsibilities. In addition, the removal of Te Pūkotahitanga displays a lack of understanding on Minister Chhour's part of the importance of the State working in partnership with Māori, if we are collectively to find effective ways to eliminate violence across all communities. It is important that government agencies uphold their obligations and partner with Māori as tangata whenua, as well as supporting Māori-led initiatives. More Māori empowerment, not less, is required if Aotearoa New Zealand is to eliminate family violence and sexual violence, due to the Crown's historic and ongoing exacerbation of such violence within Māori communities which creates disproportional victimisation of wāhine Māori. For example, wāhine Māori have genuine reason to fear their children will be uplifted if they attempt to seek safety from the State as victim-survivors of family violence. Such barriers to protection are part of ongoing colonisation, as is the disestablishment of Te Pūkotahitanga. Tino rangatiratanga is vital to remove State-imposed obstacles to whānau Māori living free from violence. The Crown's disestablishment of Te Pūkotahitanga greatly reduces the visibility of generously-offered kaupapa Māori expertise essential to preventing and responding to violence in many communities. The related lack of community and sector confidence in the Crown will make violence reduction more difficult for both Māori and non-Māori communities, and we are greatly concerned about the implications for Aotearoa New Zealand's future violence-response system. The Coalition for the Safety of Women and Children stands in solidarity with tangata whenua to call for the Crown to uphold its Tiriti obligations including reinstating Māori-led mechanisms that ensure equity and safety for all.
NZ Herald
30-06-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Māori advisory group ‘disappointed' at claims by Family Violence Prevention Minister Karen Chhour
A Māori advisory group's co-chairs have taken issue with claims Family Violence Prevention Minister Karen Chhour made last week when announcing she was replacing it with a 'multi-cultural' board. They are 'disappointed' in the minister's statement and worried outcomes for Māori may become less of a focus by disbanding
NZ Herald
27-06-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Family violence prevention minister Karen Chhour ditches Māori name for agency, forming new group instead of ‘Māori-only one'
Karen Chhour said the decision reflects that all people could potentially be victims. Photo / Mark Mitchell The minister in charge of family violence prevention is ditching the Māori name for a collective established to deliver a whole-of-government approach to the issue. Karen Chhour, an Act MP, is also forming a new 'multi-cultural' advisory group with members of different communities, something she said has led to concerns
Scoop
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Prevention Of Family And Sexual Violence Agency To Drop Informal Name, Expand Advisory Board Diversity
Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour is today announcing it will no longer use the informal name of Te Puna Aonui and will adopt its legal name: the Executive Board for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence. 'This decision reflects the reality that all people are potentially victims of Family Violence and Sexual Violence, as well as the wishes of disgruntled former advisory board members who have asked for the gifted Te Reo name to be returned,' says Mrs Chhour. 'They have raised their concerns with me around my decision to not extend their tenure as the Ministerial Advisory Board, as well as concerns around my decision to include other communities in a new, multi-cultural advisory board which will replace the current Māori-only one. 'I need an advisory board that can advise on all issues victim-survivors face, and one that reflects the diversity of our nation, not just the seventeen per cent of New Zealanders who identify as Māori. 'Yes, I am Māori, and proud of this. I am also a mother, a wife, and a survivor of both family and sexual violence. The idea that one part of my being is somehow more important than any other is something I don't accept, and I don't believe that the majority of New Zealanders would accept this either. 'It is also Government policy that Government departments, with the exception of those focused on Māori, will have their main names in English. 'By continuing with a Te Reo name I believe we risk potentially making non-Māori victim-survivors feel like their lived experiences do not matter. I can assure them that they do and will continue to. 'This is the right thing to do, it reflects our national values of equality. 'The important work of the agency will be strengthened by the incorporating Pasifika, Asian communities, and other groups who were deliberately excluded by the scope of the previous Ministerial Advisory Board for this portfolio. 'While Te Puna Aonui is an informal name, not a legal one, it will take time to update the agency's branding and letterhead. 'This is a positive tep forward for the Executive Board for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence and for our national response to these hugely important issues.'
