NGOs Cautiously Optimistic About Taskforce Report

A range of community agencies have responded to the report released last week by the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families.

Relationship Services CEO Jeff Sanders welcomed the report, but said the organisation was waiting to see concrete results in the next 12 months before it throws a party.

“The first report of the Taskforce is a great tool for holding all of us to account,” said Jeff Sanders, CEO of Relationship Services and a Taskforce member. “In a years’ time, the performance of government and the wider sector can be judged against what this report promises.”

Mr Sanders said Relationship Services wanted to see results such as:
• co-ordinated support systems that work for families from all cultures, including prevention, early intervention, and intensive crisis and post-crisis support
• a sustainable and realistic system for funding for these services
• increased discussion about what it means to live in respectful, violence free relationships, and about the responsibilities we all have to support healthy relationships within our own families, whanau and communities
• a continuation of the cross-party, cross-sector commitment to working together on these issues.

“Government can’t do this work alone. I’m pleased that the Taskforce recognises the crucial role that community organisations play, and that support of NGO’s must improve” said Mr Sanders.

Jigsaw (formerly Child Abuse Prevention Services) also welcomed the report. Liz Kinley, Jigsaw Chief Executive, supported the focus on abuse prevention taken by the Taskforce in their report.

Ms Kinley said that “If the prevention strategies put forward are implemented in close collaboration with communities and continue to be funded in sustainable ways into the long term future, then we can expect a substantial reduction in our society’s tolerance of family violence over future generations.”

“Jigsaw also supports the proposed major campaign to stop men’s violence in their homes, as this is a useful first step towards making both children and their mothers safer. We also look forward to the next stage where the focus will be on preventing all forms of child abuse,” says Ms Kinley.

Age Concern New Zealand said that the Taskforce report was good news for seniors.

“The report says our rates of elder abuse, along with the other forms of family violence are ‘shameful’ and we agree,” said Age Concern Chief Executive, Ann Martin.

“Older people are an important part of strong healthy families and communities. While some experience family violence, they can all provide leadership to promote stable families,” Ms Martin said.

Age Concern supported the focus on more sustainable funding models outlined in the Taskforce report, and called for more resourcing of Maori, Pacific peoples and other ethnic communities to promote safe families in ways that meet their needs and cultural practices.

The Royal New Zealand Plunket Society CEO, Paul Baigent, said that the Taskforce report was another strong step forward in New Zealand’s effort to recognise and reduce family violence.

Mr Baigent supported the collaborative approach taken in the Taskforce report.

“Given the strength and commitment of this unified approach, and the clarity of the direction, Plunket looks forward to the report’s recommendations becoming reality and seeing real changes ahead,” Mr Baigent said.