Vine Quick Reads: 10 April 2025

Vine Quick Reads: 10 April 2025

Welcome to our Quick Reads format. Each week we share selected news bites relevant to family violence and sexual violence in Aotearoa.

Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill receive Royal Assent, placement and investment targets removed

The Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill received Royal Assent on 7 April 2025. Section 7AA set out specific duties for the chief executive to recognise and provide a practical commitment to the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi. Read our 3-part part series on the repeal of 7AA. Relatedly, Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has announced that Oranga Tamariki have removed their 58% target for placing children in care with wider family/whānau and their minimum 23% target for the proportion of their investment which are in Māori/Iwi organisations. VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai has issued a media release commenting in response to the repeal of 7AA.

Evaluation of Te Pūtahitanga commissioning model of direct social investment

Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu has released Evaluation of Wave 17 for Te Pūtahitanga (2025). This evaluation, undertaken by Ihi Research, reports on the Wave 17 investment of direct whānau commissioning between July 2023 to June 2024. Commenting on the investment approach, the auhtors highlighted that, “the commissioning approach of Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu is unique, achieving social impact by investing directly in initiatives developed by whānau”. In 2024, Te Puni Kōkiri undertook a procurement process to identify, select and engage commissioning agent services for Whānau Ora. It has since been reported that the 3 current commissioning agencies, of which Te Pūtahitanga is one, have been unsuccessful in their bids.

Oranga Tamariki consulting on 2025 Long-Term Insights Briefing

Oranga Tamariki is seeking submissions on their draft 2025 Long-Term Insights Briefing. The Briefing’s focus is, “How can we better prevent, respond to, and enable healing from, child maltreatment between now and 2040?”. This is the second round of consultation and is looking for feedback on the Draft Briefing. The first round was used to decide the Briefing’s topic and method of investigated. The consultation page provides more information on making a submission, including optional guiding questions. The consultation is open to everybody, and submissions must be emailed to LTIB@ot.govt.nz by 5pm 12 May 2025.

Independent review of the Oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, final report released

Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora | Ministry of Social have released the Independent statutory review of the Oranga Tamariki oversight system: final report (2025). The review was undertaken by MartinJenkins and evaluates the effectiveness of the 2 main pieces of legislation that underpin the Oranga Tamariki system in Aotearoa:

• the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Act 2022
• the Children and Young People's Commission Act 2022.

A Child Friendly Summary is also available alongside the full Final Report.

Law Commission review of preventive detention and post-sentence orders completed, final report submitted

Te Aka Matua o te Ture | Law Commission submitted its report, Here ora: Preventive measures in a reformed law (2025), to the Minister of Justice and Minister of Corrections to complete its review of preventive detention and post-sentence orders. The Commission concludes that an overhaul of the law governing preventive detention, extended supervision orders and public protection orders is required. The Commission recommends changes to prevent serious sexual and violent reoffending while managing high-risk offenders more humanely.

New research brief on diverse and intersecting masculinities

Learning Network have published Rethinking Masculinities: Understanding diverse and intersecting masculinities to end Gender-Based Violence (GBV) (2025). This research brief explores how masculinity operates along a diverse spectrum shaped by race, disability, sexuality, and other intersecting identities, rather than as a singular concept. It also explores the connection between these masculinities, power and GBV. The Learning Network is a Canadian knowledge mobilisation initiative operating out of the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children at Western University.

New research on sexual violence and intimate partner violence among international students in Australia.

An open access article on violence among international students has recently been published: Experiences of Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence Among Women International Students in Australia (2025). The article draws on data from a national cross-sectional survey of women international students in Australia. The article offers indications of the magnitude and characteristics of sexual violence and intimate partner violence experienced by women international students in Australia. The article also offers insights into the relationship between victimisation and housing insecurity, financial insecurity, poor social support, and younger age.