Responses to our recommendations about agencies’ work to address family violence and sexual violence
We requested this update because we want to provide public transparency on progress with addressing our recommendations.
Seven years have passed since the decision was made in 2018 to establish a joint venture approach to reducing family violence and sexual violence. Between 2018 and 2023, about $1 billion was invested across the family violence and sexual violence system, spread across eight departmental Votes. The funding supported a range of initiatives, including services for different population groups and organisations working with people affected by violence.
In our 2021 report Working in new ways to address family violence and sexual violence and our 2023 report Meeting the needs of people affected by family violence and sexual violence, we looked at how well government agencies were working to address family violence and sexual violence in New Zealand. The period of our work covered the establishment of the joint venture approach for government agencies, the creation of the Interdepartmental Executive Board for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence (Te Puna Aonui) in March 2022, the publication of a national 25-year strategy for eliminating family violence and sexual violence, and the first action plan.
Our reports and recommendations highlighted significant challenges for agencies in finding ways to work effectively with each other, with tangata whenua, and with community partners to achieve the necessary transformational change. We found that urgency, prioritisation, and sustained focus is needed from the agencies involved in Te Puna Aonui if there is to be progress.
This work requires an integrated approach to best support people affected by these forms of violence. Te Puna Aonui has told us that it is reviewing how it operates, including improvements to strengthen accountabilities, and that its work against the majority of our recommendations is ongoing. Agencies report that progress is being made in areas such as working more collaboratively together and in partnership with iwi, communities, and specialists. They also note work to incorporate the voices of people affected by violence.
However, in the seven years since the joint venture approach was agreed, progress towards the goal of eliminating family violence and sexual violence remains challenging.
We will consider further work on this important area in 2026/27. In particular, we will consider what progress has been made on elimination, and the effectiveness of the plans to get there.
In the meantime, we will continue to seek further updates as part of our usual engagement. We will also continue to update the appropriate select committees on what we are seeing.