TOAH NNEST excited at Minister’s news

Te Ohaakii a Hine National Network Ending Sexual Violence Together are excited to hear about the funding boost announced today by Minister Bennett.

“The funding boost will provide much needed support to specialist organisations within the sexual violence sector, many of which are struggling week to week to keep their doors open. ” said Tania Blomfield, the chair of the Tauiwi Caucus of TOAH NNEST.

“This will go a long way towards ensuring that the organisations currently working in this specialist field are able to continue to provide services to those in need while a long term sustainable funding solution is developed,” she
stated.

“Minister Bennett is right. It is a basic right that people should feel safe and secure and free of fear, which is too often taken away from people through sexual violence.”

Paetakawaenga Executive spokesman for Nga Kaitiaki Mauri of TOAH NNEST Russell Smith is also pleased by this news.

“Many of our services welcome the funding boost Minister Bennett has allocated for our sector. Hopefully this will translate into funding for our kaupapa Maori services. Our hope is that frontline urban and rural kaupapa Maori survivor and harmful sexual behaviour services are supported well by easing the process by which to access these funds”.

He goes on to say “This will help reduce the burgeoning needs we are confronted with on a daily basis. Many of our services have had to operate on the goodwill of the people within these services. So for us this is a much received and needed injection of funds. So to Minister Bennett, thank you”.

Tania Blomfield further added that since becoming the lead Minister for the sexual violence sector, Minister Bennett has worked diligently towards seeking workable solutions for the cash strapped sector, and during the last year, significant gains have been made in raising awareness of the financial plight the sector faces on a daily basis.

“TOAH NNEST are incredibly grateful for the work Minister Bennett has done, and we also want to acknowledge the tremendous effort of Dr Kim McGregor,
who resigned from TOAH NNEST late last year, but who has also put many
years hard work into achieving this goal”

Ends

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