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October 05, 2018 at 2:28 PM

Family Violence Death Review Committee (FVDRC) welcomes new ‘joint venture’ approach to family violence

The Family Violence Death Review Committee (FVDRC) welcomes the announcement of a new model to lead prevention and reduction in family and sexual violence.

Under a ‘joint venture’ approach, outlined today by Under-Secretary to the Minister of Justice (Domestic and Sexual Violence Issues) Jan Logie, chief executives from across the public sector will work together to deliver an integrated, whole-of-government approach to family violence and sexual violence.

FVDRC Chair Professor Jane Koziol-McLain says it is critical we continue to tackle the complex problem of family violence, which is continuing to destroy families and whānau.

‘To do this there needs to be a fundamental shift in thinking. For too long the system has been fragmented and lacking a joined-up approach. To succeed, it needs to allow the workforce to respond to this complex problem collectively.

‘The FVDRC hopes this new approach will lead to an integrated system built on a shared understanding of different services and what they have to offer.’

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Govt announces joint venture of 10 agencies to be held accountable for NZ's appalling family and sexual violence

New joint venture will establish 'single point of leadership and accountability' as previous efforts to create an integrated government approach has failed.

Chief executives from 10 government agencies will now be held accountable as part of a new strategy to end New Zealand's appalling record of family and sexual violence.

The yet-to-be-named "joint venture" across the public service will report to a board of the chief executives to establish a single point of leadership and accountability, Jan Logie announced today at the annual Māori Women's Welfare League conference in Gisborne.

Victims find it difficult to get help - as do offenders - because of a fragmented approach from government agencies and community services, which have not been measured to see if they work or not.

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Those at coalface welcome Govt's collective approach to tackle domestic and sexual violence

Violence services are welcoming the Government's move to join services to tackle domestic and sexual violence. 

Jane Drumm of the domestic abuse charity Shine, said it showed the "greatest promise of creating meaningful change" and had the potential to hold "perpetrators accountable while motivating and supporting them to change their behaviour". 

The joint venture business unit will report to a board with the chief executives from 10 Government agencies, including police, education, Oranga Tamariki, social development and ACC. 

It will develop a national strategy and action plan to reduce New Zealand's family and sexual violence. 

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Preventing violence through Atu-Mai

In July Le Va and ACC launched Atu-Mai, New Zealand's first national violence prevention programme for young Pacific people. The programme has inspired Fuluiole (Yole) Lelaulu to share her story.

Fuluiole (Yole) Lelaulu is a survivor of physical, mental and sexual abuse. It led to an unstable environment for Yole and two of her siblings moving from house to house and going through experiences that disconnected her from her faith, cultural identity, and a sense of self.

Moving between schools, she found that the trauma experienced as a child kept her from focussing on education and led to her decision to leave her law and media studies at the University of Auckland. However, it wasn’t until leaving this environment where her healing could begin.

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Children's Commissioner pushes community-group homes for high-risk youths

The Children's Commissioner is pushing for a change in the way New Zealand cares for high-risk youth offenders.

A report from Andrew Becroft's office argues for a shift away from the current large-scale institutional residences towards community group homes.

The homes would be run in partnership with iwi and Māori organisations, and he says the kaupapa Māori-driven approach would help redirect lives.

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Tusha Penny and Lauano Sue Schwalger promoted to Assistant Commissioners

Superintendents Tusha Penny and Lauano Sue Schwalger are set to join the top ranks of the police.

Two senior female police officers have been picked for promotion into the upper echelon of the police force.

Only one woman had previously attained the rank of Assistant Commissioner.

Now Tusha Penny and Lauano Sue Schwalger are set to join Sandra Venables in the executive team, a police spokesperson confirmed to the Herald.

With long and successful careers, Schwalger and Penny are currently the superintendents in charge of the Central and Waitemata police districts respectively.

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Iwi-based remand scheme for young Northland offenders

A new remand service will be launched in Northland for young offenders whose crimes are serious enough for them to be locked up while awaiting trial.

Last year, of 500 nationwide, 28 youths from the Tai Tokerau region — 26 of them Māori — were remanded into the custody of Oranga Tamariki.

The pilot service, called Mahuru, aims to keep youth out of jail by putting them into caregiver homes with wrap-around social and justice services, and a strong emphasis on tikanga Ngāpuhi.

The partnership scheme between Ngāpuhi Iwi Social Services (NISS) and Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children) is being launched today.

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Baby flown to hospital with 'non-accidental' injuries

Police in Invercargill are investigating after a five-week-old baby was hospitalised with serious injuries.

The baby has been flown to Starship Hospital in serious condition, and police say the injuries are believed to be non-accidental.

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Sister of murder victim Emily Longley speaks out about the years since her sister was killed

Hannah Longley, the sister of Emily Longley who was murdered in England, has spoken out about the seven years since the death - and how she has had to start from scratch in rebuilding her life.

"This is never going to hurt any less but you are going to learn to deal with it and it is going to make you stronger," Hannah told TVNZ's Re:

"There is so many things I would have liked to have said to myself seven years ago. I would say you can get through it and it's going to be the hardest thing you're ever going to do."

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'I had to keep myself safe': Auckland junior rugby coach 'was never alone with students'

A junior rugby coach who denies more than 100 child sexual abuse charges has told a court he was never alone with the boys when the alleged offending is said to have happened.

In his third day of giving evidence at the High Court in Auckland on Wednesday, Alosio Taimo, an Auckland coach and long-time school volunteer, detailed his time as a teacher-aide when some of the alleged offending happened. 

On Wednesday, Taimo told the court about his time teaching at the school and how he worked as a rugby coach.

A number of the complainants came in to contact with Taimo at the school and have alleged offending happened on the school grounds. 

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Details of family violence and assault within Gloriavale revealed

Details of family violence within Gloriavale have been revealed after suppression was lifted on an assault case today.

Clem Ready, a father to 13 children within the religious sect, was convicted earlier this year for assaulting two of his daughters; Connie Ready and the late Prayer Ready, over a period of 13 years.

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Man jailed for hours of domestic violence against partner

James Graham Body made his partner cook him a meal, made her watch him eat it, and then smashed the plate in front of her when he was finished.

It was just one part of the hours of abuse he inflicted on the woman during an evening of threats and domestic violence at their home in Waikuku, north of Christchurch, on July 21, 2017.

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Sex abuser pastor Neil Rischbieter to seek release from prison just 8 months after sentencing

A West Auckland pastor jailed for sexually abusing a young girl as her mother was dying of cancer will be eligible for parole just eight months after he was locked up.

The victim is furious and says "beast" Neil Rischbieter ruined her life and she wants to see him serve every day of his sentence to pay for what he put her through.

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Parents so stoned they were unaware child had been removed

The parents of a two-year-old were so comatose after smoking synthetic cannabis in Rotorua, they were unaware the police had arrived and removed their child. 

The couple - whom Stuff has chosen not to name to protect the identity of the child - both received prison sentences at Rotorua District Court on Friday for one charge each of child neglect.

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Pregnant woman strangled to unconsciousness, threatened to keep quiet

When a woman eight months pregnant woke from unconsciousness after being strangled by her partner, he warned the violence could get worse.

Earlier in the year, Justice Manukorihi Grace grabbed his partner around the throat with two hands and "squeezed" until she was unable to breathe.

The woman, who had nearly reached full-term in her pregnancy, was then pushed into a bedroom by the unborn child's father, where she passed out.

When she came to, Grace, 18, threatened "things would get worse" if she complained to police.

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Baby Bella Richardson's alleged killer in court

A man has appeared in the High Court charged with the murder of eight-month-old Bella Richardson in Whanganui in 2016.

He was remanded in custody when he appeared at the High Court in Wellington on Wednesday.

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Age 'just a number', 13yo victim told

A teenager who told an underage girl age was "just a number'' before persuading her into sexual activity left his young victim struggling with self-esteem issues, and worried he would harm other girls, a court has heard.

Ollie Abraham Carse Walker (17) was sentenced for sexual connection with a 13-year-old girl in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.

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Facebook rape case: Whangārei court jury told they will hear terrible details

A Northland man who had recently finished a sentence for rape met a woman through Facebook and over a week sexually violated her and then raped her, a jury has heard.

But in his opening remarks Judge John McDonald has told a jury of six women and six men that it would be wrong to just convict 34-year-old Jessie Arthur Heke-Gray because he had a previous conviction for rape, and they must decide the case in a calm and dispassionate way and set aside any prejudice.

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Man 'a sexual predator on social media': judge

A Facebook predator with a “fixation” on young girls repeatedly lied to a 14-year-old until he got her on her own, a court has heard.

Steven Espie (28) then molested the victim in his family’s empty house while she struggled to get away from him.

He was set to take the matter to jury trial but pleaded guilty to doing an indecent act to a person under-16 at the eleventh hour, sparing the girl the trauma of giving evidence.

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Auckland music teacher Dennis Brimble charged with historic sexual abuse

An Auckland music teacher has been charged with sexual assaults on young boys spanning almost 20 years.

Dennis Pierrpont Brimble, 62, appeared in the North Shore District Court this morning on seven charges relating to the sexual abuse of two boys and for allegedly supplying a minor with cannabis.

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Call for Samoa's chiefs and orators to help stop domestic violence

A Samoan woman MP says the country's chiefs and the village orators have all the power needed to put a stop to domestic violence.

MP Fa'aulusau Rosa Stowers, told Newsline Samoa the village councils have the authority to regulate by laws in the villages, and can be the most effective response to domestic violence.

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Whanganui man who assaulted former partner in front of their daughter sentenced to intensive supervision and GPS monitoring

A girl was forced to call police when she witnessed her father attacking her mother.

Michael James Flood was sentenced to 12 months' intensive supervision and six months' of GPS monitoring by Judge Christopher Field in Whanganui District Court on Wednesday.

He was convicted on one charge of male assaults female.

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