"She'd been living under siege for years," said Green MP Jan Logie "but he said he would kill her if she left."
Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox
Women's Refuge said between 33 and 39 percent of New Zealand women experience physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Ms Logie said most victims find it hard to stay in work and her Domestic Violence - Victims' Protection Members Bill which had its first reading in the House would help solve that.
It would give victims up to 10 days paid leave, allowing time to seek counselling and legal advice, attend court hearings or even move house and received unanimous support in the house.
.@janlogie: "Today we are starting a process which if we get it right will save lives." "Let's be bold together." pic.twitter.com/WiXqDrCvqs
— Eugenie Sage (@EugenieSage) March 8, 2017
A Budget Precursor
Photo: 123rf
It was the first member's day of the year and in addition to Jan Logie's bill another bill that didn't originate with the Government made it through its first reading and on to a Select Committee for further consideration.
The bill would increase sentences for crimes that use explosives.
Also on Wednesday, the government's budget policy statement was brought before the House.
The budget policy statement foreshadows the budget that Steven Joyce will deliver on the 25th of May. The Statement was debated and noted in The House on Wednesday evening.
The debate gave the Government a chance to say how well it believes the economy is going and look towards a promise of government surpluses and gave the opposition the opportunity for a wide-ranging attack.
Labour's Grant Robertson said the economic numbers looked fine until you had a closer look.
The Green's James Shaw, Greens co-leader, said the country is experiencing all the wrong kinds of growth. And ACT's David Seymour called for a change to tax brackets to help address the country's massive personal debt.
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