Joint Venture Work Programme update, August 2020
Wed 12 Aug 2020
The latest update from the Joint Venture on Family Violence and Sexual Violence covers a number of areas of work. You can view the updates online and subscribe to receive them to your inbox.
In the August 2020 update, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Domestic and Sexual Violence Issues Jan Logie discusses recent work including the Budget 2020 announcements, the impact of COVID-19, and progress on the Joint Venture’s work programme to eliminate family violence and sexual violence in Aotearoa.
Jan Logie's summary notes that the Interim Te Rōpū (ITR) concluded its term on 30 June 2020. The work of ITR has included assisting Ministers and Chief Executives to work in partnership with Māori on an integrated response including developing a National Strategy and Action Plan to eliminate family violence and sexual violence. The update states:
"ITR has made a significant contribution to the development of a draft engagement document, for the first time started from the perspective of Māori. Their input provides rich system-level evidence to inform our transformation."
The update says "Advice to inform a strategy and enduring form of Te Rōpū will be provided to the Government after the election, once a new government is formed."
Plans to start engagement on a national strategy had been scheduled for April 2020, but were put on hold due to the pandemic:
"Shortly before New Zealand went into COVID-19 Alert Level Four lockdown, FVSV Ministers were aiming for the draft National Strategy discussion document to go to Cabinet for approval and release in April 2020. Consequently, the National Strategy was put on hold and to enable the Joint Venture Business Unit and FVSV sector to focus on the FVSV COVID-19 response."
Other news in the update includes:
- Plans for Ministry of Justice work to improve response to family and sexual violence, including training for Ministry staff and professionals who provide advice and services to the courts, as well as training for lawyers
- Other justice updates including Improvement of court facilities and Progress on the Sexual Violence Legislation Bill
- Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) performance audit of the Joint Venture
- Select Committee and Estimates review of the performance of the Joint Venture on Family Violence and Sexual Violence
- Public Service Act 2020
- Ministry of Social Development launches three five-year family violence prevention frameworks
- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern opens the Multi-Disciplinary Family Harm Prevention Hub Te Taanga Manawa in Manukau.
You can view past updates or sign up to receive the email updates direct to your inbox by emailing the Joint Venture Business Unit: familyandsexualviolence@justice.govt.nz.
Related media
Strategy to transform family violence written off as 'too Māori', Stuff, 27.09.2020
Jan Logie: Finding a way to disrupt our record on sexual violence, NZ Herald, 27.07.2020
Parliament passes Bill to reform public service, Beehive media release, 23.07.2020
New sexual violence laws will help more victims come forward, Rape Crisis says, Stuff, 08.07.2020
Andrew Little: Fair trial rights aren't there to give wrongdoers some headway, NZ Herald, 07.07.2020
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