Ministerial Advisory Group
Family Violence and Sexual Violence Advisory Group

On 21 May 2026, Minister Chhour announced the members of a new advisory group to bring lived experience and frontline leadership knowledge to the government’s decision-making and strategic direction around preventing family violence and sexual violence.

Family Violence and Sexual Violence Advisory Group Announced | Beehive.govt.nz(external link)

Debra 'Debbs' Murray Chair	Founder, Director, and Facilitator of ECLIPSE since 2021, providing specialist family violence training and guidance across New Zealand to government and non-government organisations, grounded in lived experience and evidence-based research. Based in Hamilton, Debbs offers strategic advice across family violence systems and has contributed to analysis, design, and workforce development across government and community sectors, including national strategies under Te Aorerekura. Her career includes leadership roles in the non-government sector, non-sworn specialist roles with New Zealand Police, development and implementation of the family violence Safety Assessment Meeting (SAM) model in Waikato, and service as an Intimate Partner Violence Specialist Panel Agent on a Family Violence Death Review panel. She holds qualifications in psychology.
Caroline Herewini MNZM, JP Member	Caroline is the Kaiwhakahaere Matua (Chief Executive) of Te Whare Tiaki Wāhine Refuge Charitable Trust, a kaupapa Māori organisation based in Porirua. Caroline has been involved with the organisation for three decades, leading the development of trauma-informed, culturally grounded services for wāhine and their whānau across crisis intervention, emergency housing, and long-term recovery support. Under Caroline's leadership, Te Whare Tiaki operates a Women's Refuge service, Rongomātāne Men's Centre, and Kaumātua Support Services, reflecting a whole whānau approach to ending family violence. Caroline is a founding member of the Coalition of End Women’s Homelessness (CEWH) and Breaking Silent Codes, a cross-national movement to end violence against indigenous women across Aotearoa, Australia, and the Pacific.
Peter Anthony ‘Tony’ Chamberlain Member	Tony is the Pou Whakahaere (Executive Trustee) at Tautoko Tāne Male Survivors Aotearoa, an organisation supporting the wellbeing of male survivors of sexual violence. Tony has more than a decade of experience in sexual violence policy, strategy, and service sustainability, including work commissioned by ACC and with Medical Sexual Assault Clinicians Aotearoa (MEDSAC) (formerly Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care NZ).
Patricia 'Trish" McMurtrie Member	Trish has been in the refuge movement for over 20 years and has been manager of West Coast Women's Refuge since 2016. Trish brings extensive experience in advocacy, service development and rural service delivery, and is a registered social worker who specialises in client led, trauma informed, culturally responsive practice.
Matthew 'Matt' Brown Member	Matt is an internationally acclaimed author, keynote speaker, and co-founder of She Is Not Your Rehab — is a leading voice on men's healing. A New Zealander of Samoan descent, Matt creates trauma-informed programmes across men's prisons and communities around the world, reaching men to disrupt intergenerational violence.
Chystal 'Chrystal' Walker Member	Chrystal is the Family Violence and Sexual Violence Practice Leader at Family Focus Rotorua, a non-government social service provider. She is an active leader of local multi‑agency responses, and contributes to workforce development, education, and survivor‑centred practice. Chrystal is a registered social worker with a post-graduate Diploma in Health Studies (Trauma and Violence) and has a Bachelor of Applied Social Sciences.