Union says this is 'exactly the wrong moment' to make changes
New Zealand's Centre for Family Violence and Sexual Violence Prevention is proposing to cut a third of its workforce in a move that it denied was due to cost savings.
The centre has begun consulting staff on a proposal that would cut a total of 26 out of 78 roles at the agency.
Under the proposal, a total of 36 roles would be cut, including six vacant ones, while also establishing 10 new roles.
Andrew Kibblewhite, chair of the centre, said the proposed change follows a review into the current needs of the family and sexual violence prevention system, The Otago Daily Times reported.
"I am confident the proposed changes will strengthen how the system works together and help us deliver better outcomes for those experiencing family violence and sexual violence," Kibblewhite said as quoted by the news outlet.
"It's important to note that this proposal has not been driven by cost savings but to ensure all our resources are focussed on making the biggest difference with this very important mahi."
Who will be affected by the cuts?
National Trainers who deliver best-practice prevention in communities, advisers, managers, and administrative staff are all in the firing line, according to the Public Service Association (PSA), which slammed the changes.
"New Zealand has a shameful record on family and sexual violence. This is exactly the wrong moment to be cutting the people working to change that," said Duane Leo, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
The PSA said it will be making a formal submission to oppose the cuts during the consultation period, which closes on 1 July.
"Family and sexual violence is an intergenerational challenge. Building the capability to respond effectively takes years. Cutting a third of the national coordination workforce does not just set back progress, it shows that this vital work is no longer a priority," Leo said.
The cuts at the centre come as RespectEd, an organisation specialising in sexual violence prevention, is also facing closure after losing government funding.
"Cutting the Centre's community-facing work at exactly the moment providers are losing funding from every direction is not a coincidence, it's a pattern," Leo said.
"This Government is systematically withdrawing from the work of preventing family and sexual violence."
Family, sexual violence a 'crisis'
Family violence and sexual violence are a "crisis" in New Zealand, according to the 2025-2030 Action Plan released by the centre.
It noted that 30.2% of adults in the country have experienced physical and sexual violence offences committed by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
When taking psychological abuse into account, it found that 56% of women experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime.
One in three women (36%) and one in eight men (13%) have also experienced one or more sexual assaults in their lifetime. However, only 6.6% of sexual violence is reported to the police.
The New Zealand government said it is on a 25-year journey to eliminate family violence and sexual violence through the action plan.
"This Action Plan sets out where government will focus and prioritise its actions to drive change to stop violence and keep people safe," the plan reads.
