Vine Quick Reads: 31 July 2026

Vine Quick Reads: 31 July 2026

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

New workplace stalking resource released by Ministry for Women

Manatū Wāhine | Ministry for Women has released a new resource: RECOGNISE, RESPOND, SUPPORT: Practical workplace responses to stalking. This free resource is aimed at equipping employers and workplaces with guidance and tools to support employees experiencing stalking. The resource will:

• help readers understand stalking and its impacts on employees and workplaces
• guide readers on having safe and supportive conversations when an employee shows signs of, or discloses they are being stalked
• offer practical prevention and response ideas
• provide information about legal options and specialist support services that can be shared with employees.

For more, see the RNZ’s coverage: Aotearoa's criminalisation of stalking: why the workplace is the next focus.

New child poverty report published by Ministry of Social Development

Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora | Ministry of Social Development has published Child Poverty in New Zealand (2026). The report draws on Stats NZ survey data to provide information on:

• the demographics of child poverty
• how New Zealand children fare compared with European counterparts
• longer-term trends in material hardship for households with children
• what day-to-day life is like for children identified as ‘poor’ compared with other children
• housing affordability for households with children (renters and owners).

For more, see the Mana Mokopuna’s response, New Zealand’s children can’t keep waiting, urgent action on child poverty reduction needed now and their interview with RNZ.

New research report: Understanding attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health in the Kingdom of Tonga

Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa and Tonga Family Health Association (TFHA) have published a new research report: Understanding attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health in the Kingdom of Tonga (2026). The research was undertaken as part of the Amanaki Lelei project, which aims to reduce unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Researchers spoke to young people in Tonga to explore their understanding of safe sex, contraception, and STIs, as well as the barriers and challenges they encounter in accessing sexual and reproductive health information and services. For an overview, see Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa’s media release.

Consultation open on draft standards for Family Court psychological reports

Tāhū o te Ture | Ministry of Justice is consulting on the draft standards for Family Court psychological reports. The Ministry is seeking feedback on the draft standards, with particular interest in hearing whether the document both reflects good practice and responds to the needs of report writers, the Family Court, parties and their children. The draft document touches on all aspects of report writing for Family Court, including understanding and working with family violence. The draft document is available at the link above alongside further information on how to participate in the consultation.

Consultation closes 23 August 2026.

Review of hate crime law released by Law Commission

Te Aka Matua o te Ture | Law Commission has released Hara ngākau kino | Review of hate crime law (2026). The report details the Commission’s review of standing hate crime law, with a focus on whether the law should be changed to create standalone hate crime offences. Twelve recommendations were made by the Commission to ensure hate crimes are consistently identified, recorded and denounced by the justice system. For more, see the Commission’s media release and the NZ Herald’s coverage.

UN call for input: Environmental human rights defenders and the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human right to a healthy environment has issued a call for input on environmental human rights defenders and the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. The report will examine the risks environmental human rights defenders face and the ways violence against them also affects the realisation of the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. It will also examine countries’ obligations in this context. For more information, including key question and how to make a submission, see the link above.

Submission deadline: 21 August 2026.