A statement by Police Minister Paula Bennett and Justice Minister Amy Adams says the Police scheme which can be used to disclose a person's violent past to a partner or friend has been used 158 times since its launch in December 2015.

They say Police have approved 74% of disclosure requests.

A disclosure request can be made to Police by the partner of the potentially violent person or a concerned third party. Police can also proactively release information if they believe someone is at risk of violence from their partner.

Of the 158 requests made in the last 15 months, 117 have been requested proactively by Police while 41 have been by a third party. These requests have resulted in a total of 117 being approved for disclosures to be made.

Once a request has been received, a decision is made as to whether the disclosure can be made to individuals who must meet set criteria under the scheme’s policy.