Response to the Crown’s disestablishment of Te Pūkotahitanga

Public Statement of the Coalition for the Safety of Women and Children re the Crown’s disestablishment of Te Pūkotahitanga, a Māori partnership body for the elimination of family violence and sexual violence

2 July for immediate release

The following can be attributed to Leonie Morris, the Chair for the Coalition for the Safety of Women and Children

As a group of violence-prevention experts and practitioners, the Coalition for the Safety of Women and Children is appalled and shocked that the Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence has dis-established Te Pūkotahitanga, a critical Māori voice at the national decision-making table.

Te Pūkotahitanga is the Māori-led collective developed to ensure accountability, shared leadership, and cultural integrity under Te Aorerekura (the National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violene and Sexual Violence). The unilateral action to disestablish this partnership body by Minister Karen Chhour has greatly reduced community and sector confidence in her leadership and in the Crown’s commitment to Te Aorerekura. It is disrespectful to both Māori and non-Māori, and furthers the systematic erosion of Tiriti-based governance, entrenching distrust of the Crown across all communities.

As an umbrella of predominantly tauiwi-led violence-prevention organisations, the Coalition rejects the idea that removing Te Pūkotahitanga will benefit non-Māori. On the contrary, we agree with the outgoing members of Te Pūkotahitanga that it is by honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and upholding Māori solutions that we ensure safety and equity for all communities across Aotearoa.

We also agree with Te Pūkotahitanga that the unilateral actions of the Crown directly contravene the principles of Te Aorerekura, including shared leadership, tikanga Māori, and Tiriti-based partnership in all governance and decision-making processes. We acknowledge the huge significance of Te Pūkotahitanga’s reclamation of the name “Te Puna Aonui” on the basis the Crown is no longer honouring its responsibilities.

In addition, the removal of Te Pūkotahitanga displays a lack of understanding on Minister Chhour’s part of the importance of the State working in partnership with Māori, if we are collectively to find effective ways to eliminate violence across all communities.

It is important that government agencies uphold their obligations and partner with Māori as tangata whenua, as well as supporting Māori-led initiatives. More Māori empowerment, not less, is required if Aotearoa New Zealand is to eliminate family violence and sexual violence, due to the Crown’s historic and ongoing exacerbation of such violence within Māori communities which creates disproportional victimisation of wāhine Māori. For example, wāhine Māori have genuine reason to fear their children will be uplifted if they attempt to seek safety from the State as victim-survivors of family violence. Such barriers to protection are part of ongoing colonisation, as is the disestablishment of Te Pūkotahitanga.

Tino rangatiratanga is vital to remove State-imposed obstacles to whānau Māori living free from violence.

The Crown’s disestablishment of Te Pūkotahitanga greatly reduces the visibility of generously-offered kaupapa Māori expertise essential to preventing and responding to violence in many communities. The related lack of community and sector confidence in the Crown will make violence reduction more difficult for both Māori and non-Māori communities, and we are greatly concerned about the implications for Aotearoa New Zealand’s future violence-response system.

The Coalition for the Safety of Women and Children stands in solidarity with tangata whenua to call for the Crown to uphold its Tiriti obligations including reinstating Māori-led mechanisms that ensure equity and safety for all.

– Ends –

Notes:

• Te Pūkotahitanga’s own statement can be found on LinkedIn
• The Coalition for the Safety of Women and Children is made up of multiple violence-prevention organisations including:
  • Auckland Women’s Centre
  • Eastern Women’s Refuge
  • Hestia Women’s Refuge
  • Kia Haumaru – Personal Safety Education
  • Mt Albert Psychological Services Ltd
  • National Council of Women, Auckland
  • North Shore Women’s Centre
  • NZ Human Rights Centre
  • Pacific Women’s Watch
  • Rape Prevention Education – Whakatu Mauri
  • Respect
  • Shakti Community Council
  • SHINE Safer Homes in NZ Everyday
  • The Backbone Collective
  • Women’s Centre Rodney
  • Women’s Health Action Trust
  • Women’s Refuge – Tāmaki Makaurau, YWCA, Auckland