Logie JanDOMESTIC VIOLENCE—VICTIMS' PROTECTION BILLFirst ReadingJAN LOGIE (Green): I move That the Domestic Violence—Victims' Protection Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Justice and Electoral Committee to consider the bill. My speech today is for every victim of domestic violence who ever felt trapped and for every person who knew a workmate was being abused but did not know how to help.It is no secret that I used to work at Women's Refuge and the resilience and the strength of the women I worked with has always stayed with me. I remember one woman in particular who left with her children when the violence escalated. She had been living under siege for years but he said he would kill her if she left. It was incredibly brave of her to leave and she was not sure it was the right thing to do. He had racked up debt in her name and she was struggling to imagine how she would pay rent childcare and everything else as well as pay off that debt. She was also understandably scared that he would kill her or her children. She needed her job to pay off the debt and look after her kids. She was a sitting duck at work. I called her boss and explained the situation and tried to organise time off for her a change of shift or a different worksite for a while. They said no. I remember that night driving her up to the door of her work and she was lying down in the back of the van as I drove up to the door. Her fear was palpable and I suspect mine was as well. She went back to him the next day and I do not know how things worked out. This situation will be different in some workplaces today but not all. People ask: Why do women go back?". This is why—victims of domestic violence are in the most danger when they leave. I absolutely understood her decision to go back and I still feel the frustration and powerlessness of not being able to help her.Most victims however find it really hard to stay in work. The impact of the abuse has a profound impact and often they struggle to concentrate at work. Their partners actively try to make them quit or try to get them sacked by using all the petrol when they need to go to work or by disappearing instead of taking the kids to school etc. etc. Without a job victims become more isolated and dependent.Domestic violence reaches into workplaces all over our country. Evidence shows that stalking constant emails phone calls and attacks in or outside the workplace happen. Recent research funded by Women's Refuge of New Zealand women who had been in a violent relationship showed that 60 percent were in full-time work before the relationship but that fewer than half of those women managed to stay in work through the relationship. At any one time in this country over half of New Zealand businesses could have a staff member experiencing domestic violence. Workmates are often the only people who know but we cannot expect them to automatically know what to do.This bill is about saving lives. It provides victims with a pathway to safety and protects them from the effects of abuse in the workplace by providing up 10 days' leave every year which can be used to cover time lost through injury or other impacts of the abuse. It can also be used for counselling moving house settling kids into a new school dealing with the Family Court or safety planning. It also clarifies that victims can request flexible working arrangements to minimise the impact of the abuse outside or in the workplace that domestic violence is a workplace hazard and that employers should create the environment to be able to identify and mitigate. Finally it adds being a victim of domestic violence as grounds for non-discrimination to the Human Rights Act so victims cannot be sacked or otherwise penalised for the behaviour of their abuser.International research has found that although CEOs think domestic violence is a major problem they underestimate its impact in their companies. I suspect the same is true here. The argument that these policies will cost businesses too much is amoral and it assumes that domestic violence is not already costing businesses. Well it is. It is costing them great staff and it is reducing productivity. Economist Suzanne Snively's research shows that the provisions in this bill if we get them right will provide a net benefit to businesses in terms of increased productivity as well as I hope knowing that they are doing the right thing.Last year former Prime Minister John Key said: "It's easy to think this [family violence] is someone else's problem. But it's not [someone else's problem] … if you are a New Zealander who cares". In this case I agree with him. This bill helps workplaces and employers show they care and make sure every victim of domestic violence gets the support they need. If someone is in danger and we can help we should. That is the right thing to do. Everyone deserves a safe workplace where they can get the support they need to leave a violent relationship. Being protected at work and getting the help to leave should not come down to luck. We need a standard across all of our workplaces.Last year after hearing thousands of submissions the Victorian Government's Royal Commission into Family Violence found that having a supportive workplace provides financial security to victims at a major time of need and that work colleagues are among the most common source of support for victims. It recommended national employment standards and specific leave provisions—pretty much what this bill intends to do.I bring this bill to the House in the context of social change. This bill did not just appear out of the brilliance of my own mind. Progress is being made internationally and here at home. I really want to acknowledge the New Zealand Public Service Association who started championing and providing an evidence base for these policies way back in 2011 and all the other unions including FIRST Union E tū the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association and the New Zealand Nurses Organisation that have been putting these policies on the table at bargaining for a long time now. It has been wonderful to see Countdown The Warehouse GCSB GNS Science ANZ and many other smaller businesses and agencies responding and putting these provisions in place. The chambers of commerce and Business New Zealand publicly supporting this discussion I think is a milestone for this country. Of course I want to acknowledge Shine and Women's Refuge who have been working with businesses for years to develop supportive policies as well as research to support this work. The National Council of Women of New Zealand Zonta International and the New Zealand Federation of Business and Professional Women have all been championing this cause for a few years now too. Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Dr Jackie Blue has set up a business work network using her power to promote these policies. That is the context of this bill. All of these groups and people get that we are in this together that domestic violence is something that we all have a stake in reducing.For me politics becomes inspiring when we work in partnership with communities to solve problems and create social change. For me that is the Green way of doing politics. But I really want to acknowledge with gratitude and appreciation all of my parliamentary colleagues who are supporting this bill tonight. My faith in humankind has really taken a leap. I think it is a testament to the importance of the issue but it is also a signal to survivors who are watching this that we care and we should. Today we are starting a process that if we get it right will save lives and support victims so that going back or quitting their job is never again the better option.Today is International Women's Day and although this bill will apply equally to victims of domestic violence regardless of gender the majority of victims are women and children so it seems a very appropriate day to be having this debate. I hope everyone listening will go away thinking that in Parliament we are prepared to listen engage and get this right. Let us be bold together."