New Zealand says ‘sorry’ to the victims of abuse under State Care

Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins apologise in Parliament

Radio New Zealand
Wellington, November 12, 2024

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has addressed the survivors of abuse gathered at Parliament and watching from around the country, acknowledging horrific heartbreak.

“You have been heard. And you are believed,” Mr Luxon has said in the Debating Chamber.

“I am sorry you were not believed when you came forward to report your abuse. I am sorry that many bystanders staff, volunteers and carers turned a blind eye and failed to stop or report abuse. I am sorry the State’s oversight of people in care was so poor. I am sorry that many abusers were not made to face justice which meant that other people experienced abuse that could have been prevented. I am sorry the State did not act quickly and boldly enough to put much better protection in place for people in all care locations and that those acting on behalf of the Crown lost sight of you the people behind the claims,” he said.

Some in the public gallery stood to listen to his words, one of those occasions when only a few seats remained empty.

Long overdue acknowledgement

The acknowledgement and apology have been a long time coming. While far more action including appropriate compensation and redress was needed, this was a start – something Mr Luxon himself also acknowledged.

“Clearly, words must be accompanied by actions. We must do the right thing by you and provide you with the support that you need. Second, we must do all we can to prevent abuse from happening in the future,” he said.

Mr Luxon said that many survivors did not want to engage with the current compensation process – but more than 3500 were – and he signalled that there would be an extra $32 million funnelled into that system “while we work on the new redress system.”

Opposition Leader Chris Hipkins said that he formally joined the government in its apology, saying that the day was a significant step forward.

Chris Hipkins: “Sorry”

“Today is a hugely important day for all of you, to finally hear what the Crown has failed to give you for all of these years, an apology. It is a hugely important day for us the representatives of the Crown and of successive governments that we finally, finally acknowledge the thousands of confronting experiences of neglect, abuse, trauma, and torture and that we finally own up fully to our failings and offer our sincerest apologies.

“We are sorry. Today all of Aotearoa New Zealand will bear witness to the truth, to what survivors experienced, to our decades of wilful ignorance, denial, minimisation and to our conviction to end such horror and vile acts from continuing,” he said.

Mr Hipkins said that the country owed a huge debt to survivors.

Survivors speak

Earlier, three survivors had been selected to speak.

Fa’afete Taito acknowledged those who had “left to join their ancestors” and others who had come forward but were ignored.

“Without you, there would have been no today. It hurts to dig around the pain. But beyond that, what we wanted and needed was some accountability for what happened to us,” he said and added that survivors would see what accountability looked like.

“Regardless of what happens today, it is our collective power that will contribute most to our healing journey. We owe that to ourselves,” he said.

Keith Wiffen, who spent time in Epuni Boys’ Home, said that he had heard “meaningless words” from the State before. He too acknowledged those who had died before seeing today’s apology or effective redress, calling on the Prime Minister to work on that.

“You gave hope and you raised expectation that redress would soon be delivered. It is time to deliver. Prime Minister, you must hold Churches and faith-based organisations to account. You must compel them to do what is right as the state has an obligation to all children under its roof,” he said.

Tu Chapman called for the Children’s Ministry, Oranga Tamariki, to be abolished, telling the Prime Minister, “You owe us right now.”

Placed in state care before turning two, Chapman remained there until he was 17.

“Five minutes. That is what each of us has been given to speak on behalf of tens of thousands of survivors in response to today’s apologies. Five minutes for decades of abuse, neglect, and torture by those running state, church, and faith-based institutions. Five minutes is all this regime has afforded us to respond to a Prime Minister’s apology we have not even yet heard.

“Prime Minister, put your money where your mouth is,” he said.

Public sector apologies

The day began with Lead Minister Erica Stanford welcoming 250 survivors to Parliament’s Banquet Hall, telling them, “Today is about you.”

“You will never be forgotten. The stories of thousands of brave survivors will be forever etched into the pages of our history,” she said.

They also heard from the leaders of public sector agencies, with Oranga Tamariki’s Andrew Bridgman acknowledging the fear and abuse faced by children in the care of the state.

“When you asked for help, we did not listen. When you showed us the bruises, we looked away … we are sorry for not giving you a safe place to grow up,” he said.

Some in the audience cried out, “Sorry is not enough,” and others shook their heads in disbelief as Mr Bridgman spoke.

Officials admit failure

Director-General of Health Diana Sarfati said the health system had failed them, with insufficient systems for reporting abuse and neglect and failures to act when it was reported.

“In some cases, this so-called treatment was so abhorrent that the United Nations and the government have recognised it as torture. This abuse was perpetrated by people in positions of authority that survivors should have been able to trust, including carers and health workers,” she said.

Education Secretary Andy Johnson acknowledged that survivors’ care and needs should have been the priority “and they were not … it was not your fault … our failings extended across many communities and cultures.”

“Apology without change is abuse,” a member of the crowd cried out as Jackson received sporadic applause.

Social Development Chief Executive Debbie Power said that the Ministry may have believed it was removing the children from harm, “but often we were putting you in harm’s way. We did not always protect you and for that, I am deeply sorry. Our redress process has not always got things right. I accept the Royal Commission’s finding that for some of you, it has been slow, traumatising and litigious.”

The audience response to Power had been the most vocal yet – with some calling on her to release their files – but the strongest response was reserved for Solicitor-General Una Jagose, the Head of Crown Law.

At times she had to stop speaking, struggling to be heard over the crowd, even as some walked out.

“I am here today to say I am sorry,” she said.

No, you are not,” one person said. “You wanted us dead,” another said; “You never treated us with dignity,”; “You got paid big money to shut us up.”

“I will not look away. We will do better,” Ms Jagose concluded as boos and a small number of claps rang around the hall.

Police Commissioner applauded

Acting Police Commissioner Tania Kura received a much calmer response, and the loudest applause, acknowledging police had at times harboured biases against the victims, sometimes not believing the accounts or failing to investigate.

“We did not ask questions if you ran away and we trusted the explanations of the people we took you back to. These failures spanned decades in multiple police administrations and as the current commissioner I take full responsibility.”

Finally, the Public Service Commissioner acknowledged the public sector’s failures to ensure standards of integrity and conduct of public servants, and to enforce them.

“I regret that we did not always deliver on those responsibilities.”

The above report and the pictures have been published under a Special Agreement with www.rnz.co.nz