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E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha, tēnā koutou katoa,

Tēnei te mihi ki a koutou katoa ngā mana whenua o tēnei whenua me ngā rangatira o Te Tari o Te Ariki o Ngāti Tūwharetoa hoki, tēnā koutou, tēnā tatou katoa.

I acknowledge the iwi of Tūwharetoa, who have upheld the sacred expression of kaitiakitanga over your special landing places.

I am so pleased to be here with the Māori Reference Group of the Taskforce for Action on Family Violence and to be gathered in this place, to recognise such a significant – indeed a historic milestone.

The Government has announced it will introduce a whole-of-Government approach to address family violence in New Zealand, break the cycle of violence and achieve intergenerational change.

Associate Minister for Social Development, Tariana Turia says Achieving Intergenerational Change – A whole-of-Government approach recognises that government agencies must strengthen the way they work with each other and with non-governmental organisations and communities to truly address family violence in New Zealand. 

The Government has welcomed the report from the Expert Advisory Group on Family Violence released today.  The Expert Advisory Group (EAG) was tasked with providing independent strategic advice to the Government to assist in determining key priority actions to address family violence in New Zealand.

Associate Minister for Social Development, Tariana Turia says that the report is comprehensive, covering key elements crucial in any discussion on family violence issues and solutions. 

I am thrilled to be with you tonight; at this very important launch – and to celebrate with you and congratulate you on an amazing milestone in reaching thirty years.

I’ll let you into a secret too – I’ll go out of my way to be in the company of such beautiful kuia as Aunty Kiwa (Hutchens) because she does so much for our wairua just learning from her example in life.  She has had a huge impact on me.

I acknowledge firstly, Pastor Kenneth Fuliese, for blessing our fono with your presence and your gift of words.

Thank you to our accomplished Master of Ceremonies – Memea - and I am always happy to be in the company of Fa’amatuainu Tino Pereira who has provided such fine leadership to the work of the Pacific Advisory Group and in particular the evolution of the Pasefika Proud fono.

Talofa lava, Kia ora, Fakalofa lahi atu, Aloha, Ni sa bula, Malo e lelei, Kia orana, Taloha ni, Halo olaketa.

I am so pleased to be here tonight to celebrate with you the diversity, the resilience and the splendour of tagata o te moana nui, the peoples of the Pacific.

Thank you Reverend Tokerau Joseph for opening this fono with your blessing for our day.

As we gathered together in silence, I thought of a Native American verse, which in less than twenty words challenges us to focus on what we know to be right:

It is right and proper that our first acknowledgement is to Reverend Tui Sopoaga for the opening prayers for this very special day.   I want to also mihi to Toeaina Mika Perez for laying the foundation for such an important event.

I want to thank Zechariah Reuelu, the facilitator of this project, the Tokelau Core Group, and families from the Atafu, Fakaofo and Nukunonu communities for the great honour of being with you today.

E nga mana, e nga reo, tena koutou. Ngati Toa Rangatira, Ngati Raukawa, Te Atiawa, tena koutou katoa.

Tena hoki koutou nga whanaunga aku tuakana o te puku o te wheke ara o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa.

E nga kaiwhakahaere o tenei hui, tena hoki koutou.

I want to acknowledge the nations that you call home and the birth waters of the Pacific Ocean that is the umbilical cord that connects us and creates our whakapapa ties.

It is a particular honour for us all to have the Niue High Commissioner her Excellency, Mrs O’Love Jacobson with us tonight.

I am delighted to say a few words of welcome and of acknowledgment of this very significant day for you all in your study journey.

I want to formally extend a welcome to Gary Banks, the Dean of the Australia New Zealand School of Government  and lecturers on the programme Michael Di Francesco, Zina O’Leary and Claudia Scott. I am also delighted to acknowledge Michael Mintrom, the Course Director of the Executive Master of Public Administration, Tim Wigg and Rosie Colosimo - the programme managers.  

The Associate Minister of Social Development, Tariana Turia, launched the Nga Vaka o Kaiga Tapu: Pasefika Proud Family Violence Research Plan at an event in Auckland this week.     

 “The Pasefika Proud Family Violence Research Plan is unique, as it is the first research agenda of its kind to carry cultural significance across the Pacific for the Pasefika peoples of Niue, Cook Islands, Fiji, Tuvalu, Samoa, Tokelau and Tonga living in Aotearoa New Zealand today,” said Minister Turia. 

Thank you Reverend Elama Maea for opening this fono with your blessing for our day.

I want to acknowledge:

·       Fa’amatuainu Tino Pereira : the Chair of the Pacific Advisory Group;

·       Murray Edridge; the Deputy Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development

Thank you Reverend Elama Maea for the opening prayers – for setting the right platform for us tonight; to come together in the spirit of Pasefika Pride.

Thank you, also to Sandra Kailahi  - who was such a wonderful host when we launched the Ngā Vaka o Kaiga Tapu Family Violence conceptual framework last year.  It is with great pleasure that I learnt you would be helping us to celebrate the next part of our journey tonight.

My humble acknowledgments, firstly to

The Associate Minister for Social Development, Tariana Turia today announced the establishment of an Expert Advisory Group on Family Violence in New Zealand.

“The Expert Advisory Group on Family Violence is being formed to provide independent strategic advice to assist Government to determine key priority actions to address family violence in New Zealand,” says Minister Turia.

The Pasefika Proud Campaign is seeking to build violence free families by drawing on the strengths of Pasefika peoples and their culture.

At the campaign launch today, Associate Minister of Social Development Tariana Turia said the Pasefika Proud campaign is about changing behaviours – about prevention rather than dealing with violence in a crisis. The campaign will run for a minimum of two years, driven by the Pacific Media Network and funded by the Ministry of Social Development.

Talofa lava.  Malo e lelei.   Fakaalofa lahi atu.   Ni sa bula vinaka.   Kia orana.   Ia Orana.  Taloha ni.   Kia ora tatou katoa.

Fifty years ago this week, an African-American Baptist Minister, addressed a crowd of 250,000 people assembled in the March of Washington and spoke out about a nation that was failing to live up to its promise as a home for all God’s children. 

Talofa lava.  Malo e lelei.   Fakaalofa lahi atu.   Ni sa bula vinaka.   Kia orana.   Ia Orana.  Taloha ni.   Kia ora tatou katoa.

Fifty years ago this week, an African-American Baptist Minister, addressed a crowd of 250,000 people assembled in the March of Washington and spoke out about a nation that was failing to live up to its promise as a home for all God’s children. 

The Pasefika Proud Campaign is seeking to build violence free families by drawing on the strengths of Pasefika peoples and their culture.

At the campaign launch today, Associate Minister of Social Development Tariana Turia said the Pasefika Proud campaign is about changing behaviours – about prevention rather than dealing with violence in a crisis. The campaign will run for a minimum of two years, driven by the Pacific Media Network and funded by the Ministry of Social Development.

The Government has committed funding for a further 19 community projects aimed at reducing bullying amongst young people under a second round of the Te Punanga Haumaru fund, announced Associate Social Development Minister Tariana Turia today.

E ngā mātāwaka e tau mai nei ki raro i te mana o Ngā Pūmanawa e Waru o Te Arawa, tēnā koutou katoa.

I am pleased to be here amongst you all today. I would especially like to congratulate the recipients of last night’s E Tū Whānau awards for being courageous, for standing up and for making a difference in our communities. To speak out against violence is not easy – but this brave stance that you are all taking will ensure that the future for our tamariki and mokopuna will be a safer one.

Associate Minister for Social Development, Tariana Turia announced today an additional $8m over four years for the E Tū Whānau programme to help address family violence within Māori whānau, Pasifika, migrant and refugee

The Government has set aside $1.2 million in Budget 2013 for the development of Community Hubs and Marae CBD that will deliver social services to communities, Associate Social Development Minister Tariana Turia says.

“Marae are at the centre of much of our activity as Māori and have the capacity to support our cultural activities and ensure our tikanga is upheld.

Five years ago the first Programme of Action was launched following a hui co-hosted by Tainui and Ngāi Tahu with the Ministry of Social Development.

That summit brought together a wide range of people from across the country to contribute to a plan on how to address issues of violence for our people. The objective was clear and compelling – how to reduce harm to whānau and to provide the impetus for whānau to recognise they have the solutions to their own issues, particularly for violence.

E rau rangatira ma, e huihui mai nei ki raro i te maru o nga marae o Ngati Maniapoto, tena koutou katoa.

E Barney, e Koata me nga kaumatua o Maniapoto, tenei te mihi ki a koutou katoa mo ou whakaaro rangatira kia ora tonu enei waiata tuku iho hei taonga ma nga uri whakatipu. Na reira, tēna koutou katoa.

In making our way here to the land of Maniapoto, I reflected on the legacy begun in the late 1970s, by the movers and shakers of the day - Morehu Te Whare, Kingi Hetet, Koro Wetere, Daniel Te Kanawa – and the whānau that dreamed of a better day.

Associate Social Development Minister Tariana Turia today announced that 63 community projects aimed at preventing bullying will receive grants under the first round of the Te Punanga Haumaru fund.

A panel of young people met over two days to consider the 185 applications received. All panel members had previously taken part in Ministry of Youth Development training on providing input into government decisions that affect them.