I acknowledge the opening prayers from Rev Solomona Uitime; the welcome address from Taliaoa Filipo Tipoa'i; and the distinctive context for this special night provided by Her Honour, Ida Malosi.

I recognize too, distinguished colleagues, Peseta Sam Lotu; her Honour Lesa Tremuwan; and Gary Davey, of the Waitakere Police.

I pay my respects to all the family members and the greater Tongan community; affected so greatly by the tragedy that took place outside of Nuku'alofa two weeks ago.

The loss of life of such catastrophic proportions, swept across Te Moana Nui a Kiwa; and we know that many families here in Aotearoa are still suffering with their loved ones of the Kingdom of Tonga.

For tangata whenua, the connections with our Pasifika whanaunga bring us together at times of crisis, just as they are embraced in times of celebration.

Those links bind us together through shared geneology; languages and our unique cultural values.

In our journey from Hawaiiki, we have never forgotten the expression of unity that binds us to the peoples of the Pacific.

And so it is, that with the sinking of the Princess Ashika ferry, the ripples were felt on our shores, as we came together in the grief and sorrow of the Pacific village.

Tonight, those connections come together, once more, for an extremely significant cause: the drive towards creating nurturing, strong and vibrant families.

I am absolutely delighted to be here tonight, to congratulate all who have gone through the Fa'aFaletui programme, and who graduate now, with the skills and expertise to put a stop to violence across your families.

In my role as an Associate Minister of Social Development, I am charged with the responsibility, across Government, for eliminating violence in our communities.

In a fortnight's time, we will be gathering at Parliament, to launch the Programme of Action for Pacific Peoples.  It will be a really exciting night, to give life to an approach which is driven from within Pacific communities.

And so it is only fitting to be able to be here tonight, to celebrate and congratulate the Pacific Island Safety and Prevention Project as one of the initiatives which are bringing about the change we need so vitally to make the difference.

I have no desire to describe the escalating levels of violence within Pacific families - it is a reality that you in this room, all know only too well.

We all know the compounding issues that make any solution to family violence so complex - and this is particularly so in our Pasifika communities.  

We understand the ways in which poor housing and over-crowding; low income levels; over-representation in unemployment statistics, low paid work and other factors of social disadvantage play a part in adding to tensions within the home.

Over and above these issues, issues specific to Pacific families include the impacts of the migration experience and the disruption to your traditional family structures and support; and other contributing factors such as alcohol, drugs and problem gambling.

It can be very tough and answers are hard to find.

But this is where the Fa'aFaletui programme comes into its own - with the expert leadership of Pacific facilitators drawing on Pacific concepts - in other words, knowing that the solutions lie within you.

I believe there is a proverb from Samoa, which helps guide us:

Se‘i lua‘i lou le ‘ulu taumamao

Pick the breadfruits on the far-off branches first.

What the Fa'aFaletui programme has done, is to do exactly as this proverb suggests - to take on the most difficult challenges, one by one, from the far-off branches first leaving you with the choicest fruit right in front of your eyes.

And so the project has had to deal with some very hard issues to face up to. 

Issues about power and control; what we have learnt about violence in our early lives;  how to communicate with each other, what we can do to stop alcohol and drug ravaging our lives, how to be great parents.

To add to the challenge of the programme, sessions are held in English; Samoan and Tongan; they are run at day and at night; and it's not just about talk - it's also about providing crisis accommodation; family support and family therapy while all the time being funded to support Pacific men.

And this, I think, is one of the greatest challenges facing the way family violence has been run in this country to date.

Because the way our Pacific families operate - and indeed our Maori whanau - is that the whole family is absolutely central to wellbeing.  

We don't send our men away; isolate our women; focus only on children - we know that the hub of change must come from within and across all levels of the family.

Judge Ida Malosi has talked to me about the concept of the village - that what happens in the context of the village, is everyone's business.

I can relate to that well - from my childhood growing up in the pa - all my aunties were my mother; my uncles my father - and if I ever did anything that I shouldn't have, they didn't hesitate in helping me to see the error of my ways.

And so tonight, we celebrate the team who have worked with you all, making the family a fundamental source of strength for change to happen.

But we are not just talking about Mum, Dad and the kids.  The Fa'aFaletui programme is community driven - based on the belief that Pacific peoples must take responsibility for addressing family violence in your own communities.

You understand that ‘no man is an island' - the connectedness, the partnerships and relationships forged between communities, programmes, families and providers are a vital step in the pathway forwards.

In these days of recession, a lot of talk is made about ‘value for money' with Government placing scrutiny on cost-effectiveness.

In your project, the investment made in ensuring the programme is relevant, accessible and meets the different needs and characteristics of Pacific peoples.

Some of you may have seen yesterday, the findings of a draft study for the Inland Revenue Department had calculated that raising a child to the age of 18 will cost the average parents almost $250,000.

Based on that study, this must be a room full of millionaires.

Seriously, the investment made in your communities is worth more than any dollar amount could estimate - it is priceless. 

For you are not only addressing the causes and early manifestations of family violence in the present generation, you are making sure the tree grows strong and sturdy for subsequent generations.

The tree that you have planted today will give shade and strength for the children and grandchildren of generations to come. 

Its roots stretch to your ancestors and provide a foundation that enables you all today, to stand tall in who you are.

I wish you well as you all grow to enjoy your place in the sun, to be warm in the embrace of your cultural heritage, and to be proud of the strong and vibrant families you have created.