Partners

NZ Police - Rob Veale

Rob has served in the New Zealand Police for 29 years.

He is currently the Manager of the Violence Reduction Unit at Police National Headquarters with responsibilities for community and family Violence, alcohol harm-reduction projects and supporting the Family Safety Team project.

He has developed national violence reduction strategies, with a strong emphasis on reducing family violence and violence in public places. However, the principal focus has been on family violence, improving police training, investigation practices and partnerships. He has been instrumental in promoting the vision of Family Safety Teams within Police since late 2003. Since 1998, Rob has also worked with NZAID throughout the Pacific and Asia, and has assisted local police develop family violence strategy, policy and practice in several Pacific countries.

Rob’s contribution to this work was recognised with him awarded the ‘excellence for policing for women initiative’ by the Australasian Council of Women and Policing in 2005, and being awarded as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2006 New Years Honours list.

Child, Youth & Family - John Drew

Child, Youth and Family Service Line, Ministry Social Development, is committed to work with others in the area of family violence with its focus being child protection.

CYF’s statutory obligations are set out in the Children, Young Person, and their Families Act 1989. A very significant part of CYF work is to manage family violence referrals in conjunction with Police and other agencies. It is fitting CYF is part of the Family Safety Teams.

CYF was formally given two positions for membership on FSTs with one going to the Wairarapa and one to Auckland Central that covers the CYF sites of Grey Lynn and Royal Oak. However, both Hamilton and Counties-Manukau FSTs currently have CYF social workers in their teams with Hutt and Christchurch having a dedicated liaison person.

I am responsible for FSTs for CYF, holding the budget and being on the National Steering Committee. I have BA, BSW, MSW degrees and have been with CYF for 26 years. My current position is manager of National Services, Service Development.

Ministry of Justice - Justine Cornwall

Justine represents the Ministry of Justice on the FST steering committee and is the manager of the Families and Communities Policy team at the Ministry.

Her team is responsible for responding to Family Violence issues from a Justice perspective and she is on the FST steering committee to provide policy input into the decision-making processes undertaken by the Steering Committee. On a personal level Justine has a strong interest in addressing issues of family violence and achieving a society where violence is not tolerated in any form.

She has recently joined the Ministry of Justice after working in the Ministry of Social Development for three years in both research and evaluation and policy roles. Prior to coming into the government sector, she was engaged in academic work and completed a Ph.D. in 2003 and comes with a background in social psychology.

Womens Refuge - Heather Henare

He wahine, he tamariki he ao marire mo to whanau. He toka tu tenei mo te Tiriti o Waitangi. Women and children in violence free communities/hapu , living Tiriti o Waitangi.

Women’s Refuges operate around the country to support women and children suffering from violence. Last year, nearly 29-thousand women and children were referred to our services.

As well as a 24-hour crisis service and access to safe house accommodation, Women’s Refuge offers confidential support and advocacy services, legal information, and referrals to other appropriate agencies in the community.

Our independent community organisation, which is run by women, is here to help you make choices in your life that will lead to safety and security for you and your children.

Pacific Island Safety and Prevention Project - Betty Sio

We are based in West Auckland and provide social and injury prevention services for Pacific Islands families and children.

We focus on the elimination of all forms of violence from our communities. Our social services project covers a wide spectrum — counselling, group work, youth programmes and assisting with new ventures and programmes in our communities.

We cover issues like family violence, rape, sexual abuse, parenting skills, family support and advocacy, etc. Family violence issues are prevalent in the work we do.

To ensure we remain up-to-date with pacific issues, our staff and members are all active in their wider pacific communities. We also have strong links to our respective homelands. We are committed to coordinating the Violence Free Pasefika Network — a national network of Pacific working to eliminate violence from our communities.

Jigsaw - Tau Huirama

In 1983 the New Zealand Child Abuse Prevention Service was formed as an association of loosely linked nationwide groups.

The regional, community-based groups which make up the network actively advocate against all forms of child harm and neglect, and family violence. In 2006 the organisation was renamed Jigsaw. Our focus remains on advocating for children and supporting families.

Jigsaw believes that every parent and caregiver, grandparent and family/whānau member wants to be the best they can possibly be when given the awesome responsibility of the care of a child. We all have to take responsibility to guide, protect and teach our children, but sometimes that can prove very stressful.

Jigsaw - Liz Kinley

I am the chief Executive (strategic operations) for Jigsaw. I’ve been on the FST national steering committee since July 2005 as the child advocate.

I have made this commitment because I believe that by working together nationally and locally we are very capable of strengthening, developing and connecting up the various systems
and practices that must operate at their best if we are to ensure that our children and families flourish, safe from violence and abuse.

I have been a passionate advocate for children’s well being throughout my professional career so it is very satisfying now to be involved in an initiative that is starting to find innovative solutions for tough historical problems. It’s early days but I believe we are on the pathway to changing our children’s future.

Stopping Violence Services - Brian Gardner

Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga – The National Network of Stopping Violence Services is a network of community organisations working to end men’s violence to women and children across Aotearoa/New Zealand since the 1980s.

In working to achieve our mission of ending all forms of violence, abuse and oppression we are guided by Te Tiriti o Waitangi and recognise Maori as Tangata Whenua:

  • To promote social, political and organisational change to enable women, children and families to reach their full potential unaffected by violence and oppression.
  • To promote social, political and organisational change to enable Tangata Whenua to reach their full potential unaffected by violence and oppression.
  • To work alongside support agencies and to act as advocates for survivors of men’s violence.
  • To speak out against all forms of violence particularly men’s violence to women and children. To enable member agencies to work together to provide safe and effective services.
  • To enable excellent work at all levels of the network.
  • To promote research and policy to end violence and abuse.
  • To challenge men to live non-violently and take responsibility for their use of violence.