A father and daughter fixing a car.

The Taskforce

The Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families is a significant commitment by the government and non-government sectors, independent Crown entities and the judiciary to work together and provide leadership to end family violence and promote stable, healthy families.

The Taskforce was established in June 2005 to advise the Family Violence Ministerial Team on how to make improvements to the way family violence is addressed, and how to eliminate family violence in New Zealand.

It is the first time decision-makers from the government and non-government sectors, the judiciary and Crown agencies have come together to tackle the problem of family violence.

Members of the Taskforce are

  • Richard Wood (Chair)
  • the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development (Deputy Chair)
  • the Chief Executive of the Accident Compensation Corporation
  • the Secretary for Education
  • the Director-General of Health
  • the Secretary for Justice
  • the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs
  • the Commissioner of the New Zealand Police
  • the Chief Executive of Te Puni Kōkiri
  • the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs
  • the Chief District Court Judge
  • the Principal Family Court Judge
  • the Children’s Commissioner
  • the Chief Families Commissioner
  • the Director of Office of Ethnic Affairs
  • the Deputy Chief Executive of Child, Youth and Family at the Ministry of Social Development
  • the Deputy Chief Executive of Family and Community Services at the Ministry of Social Development
  • a representative from the Taskforce’s Māori Reference Group
  • a representative from the Taskforce’s Pacific Advisory Group
  • a representative for the disability sector
  • two representatives from the Family Services National Advisory Council (FSNAC)
  • three representatives from the NGO Family Violence Prevention Alliance.
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