Locals encouraged to have their say on tackling child abuse
Otaki MP Nathan Guy is urging Horowhenua and Kapiti residents to have their say on a Government Green Paper on vulnerable children.
“The Minister of Social Development Paula Bennett has been travelling the country seeking the public’s view on how we can better tackle child abuse, and a campervan tour is collecting feedback throughout New Zealand.
“There are some important ideas raised in the paper, such as mandatory reporting on all injuries suffered by children and more sharing of information between Government departments.
“The Government alone can’t solve this issue, but we want to raise awareness and prevent vulnerable children from falling through the cracks.
“Sadly, the Horowhenua rate of domestic violence is four times the national average. This is a major issue which affects all communities.
“A huge amount of work has already gone into both local and national initiatives over the last few years. Local groups like HALT (Horowhenua Abuse Liaison Team), Life to the Max, Plunket and Women's Refuges in Levin and Paraparaumu do very important work.
“This is an opportunity for any concerned member of the public to have their say. It could well be that a good idea from a local person has a major impact.”
A full version of the Green Paper is also available at http://www.saysomething.org.nz/. The closing date for submissions is 28 February and 1275 submissions have already been received.
The campervan will be outside the Levin New World from 12:30pm to 1:30pm on Tuesday 31 January, and then outside Pak N Save in Paraparaumu from 2:15pm to 3:45pm later that day.