The government will be spending $114.5 million over four years to help prevent and respond to family violence and sexual violence in Aotearoa. 

This announcement is one of the government’s early budget announcements. 

The budget, which outlines how much money the government expects to earn and how it plans to spend it, will be delivered on May 19. 

Here’s where some of the money will be spent: 

• $38.1m will go towards boosting community-led integrated responses
• $37.6m will help to prevent violence by strengthening existing initiatives in Māori and Pacific communities, and developing three new initiatives for ethnic communities, older people and youth
• $27.6m to support several initiatives, including $9.8m boost to services for victims and perpetrators of family violence
• $8.1m for health system support
• $4m to build on Māori-Crown partnership arrangements

Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence, Marama Davidson, said the $114.5m over four years will support the implementation of a national strategy to eliminate family violence and sexual violence, Te Aorerekura. 

This strategy was first launched in December 2021. 

“This investment of $114.5m is a major milestone for the implementation of Te Aorerekura, New Zealand’s first ever strategy to end family violence and sexual violence,” Davidson said. 

“Budget 2022 will help us deliver better primary prevention services, support community-led responses, and improve workforce capability to strengthen community approaches to eliminating family violence and sexual violence. 

“Developed in partnership, Te Aorerekura identified six shifts that need to occur in order for tangata whenua, specialist sectors, communities and government to work together towards people being able to enjoy peaceful lives. Budget 2022 will invest in making these shifts happen.”

A further $8.1m will help with cost pressure in the health system, allowing for more victims to have access to specialist assessment referrals to specialist services and support in relation to non-fatal strangulation. 

There will also be $26.7m spent across several initiatives to help ensure the people who are working in their communities to prevent family violence and sexual violence have the support they need to keep whānau safe and to help people as they start to heal. 

An extra $4m will build on the funding for Māori-Crown partnership arrangements in Budget 2021, by funding a wider cross-section of communities to engage with the government in collective monitoring, sharing and learning.

“Today we are building on that work and investing to change the way we do things so we can help create safe homes where all children, families and whānau can thrive,” Davidson said.

Top Image: Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson at a 2020 news conference. (File photo) Photo: Lynn Grieveson - Newsroom/Newsroom via Getty Images

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