The government body responsible for coordinating Aotearoa’s response to family and sexual violence is facing significant workforce reductions, sparking concern among advocates and public sector workers about the future of prevention and support services.
The Centre for Family Violence and Sexual Violence Prevention, which is hosted by the Ministry of Justice, has begun consulting staff on a proposal to cut 26 of its 78 positions, reducing its workforce by a third.
The proposed changes would affect a wide range of roles, including national trainers, advisors, managers and administrative staff. The centre currently plays a key role in delivering and coordinating the National Strategy and Action Plan to eliminate family violence and sexual violence, launched in 2021.
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi has strongly opposed the proposal, arguing that New Zealand continues to face serious challenges in addressing family and sexual violence and that reducing the workforce risks undermining years of progress.
Concerns have also been raised about the future of the centre’s community-facing work. Under the proposal, the Enabling Communities team, which works alongside providers and whānau to strengthen local capability and prevention efforts, would be significantly reduced. National trainer positions that support communities with specialist family and sexual violence education are also at risk.
The changes come as several community organisations working in the prevention space are facing funding pressures of their own. RespectEd, a specialist sexual violence prevention organisation, is expected to close in August after losing government funding, while other providers are also reporting uncertainty about future funding streams.
Critics argue that reducing both government coordination and community support at the same time could weaken the national response to family and sexual violence, particularly in communities already experiencing high levels of need.
The Centre was originally established to provide a coordinated, cross-government response to family and sexual violence, recognising that no single agency could address the issue alone. Opponents of the cuts say reducing its capacity risks limiting its ability to provide national leadership and support effective collaboration across the sector.
The consultation process remains underway, with submissions on the proposal set to close on 1 July 2026. The PSA says it will make a formal submission opposing the changes and is calling for the Government to maintain investment in both prevention and frontline support services.
The debate comes amid ongoing concerns about family violence rates in New Zealand and renewed calls for long-term investment in services that support whānau, prevent harm and build safer communities.
