New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has formally apologized to more than 200,000 children and adults who suffered “horrifying” and “heartbreaking” abuse and neglect in state and faith-based institutions.
This historic apology follows a damning, groundbreaking report released in July that revealed the scale of abuse across nursing homes since the 1950s. It was the most complex Royal Commission inquiry the country has ever undertaken. Judge Coral Shaw, who led the investigation, described the abuse as a “national disgrace and shame”.
Luxon issued a national apology in parliament on Tuesday. Survivors attended events across the country, filling public galleries to witness speeches. During the prime minister's speech, many people quietly shed tears.
“Today, I stand before you on behalf of not only this government, but every government that has come before me, to formally and discreetly address the abuses you have suffered in state care, in the church, and in other faith-based settings. I apologize for the inconvenience,” Luxon said.
“It was scary. It was heartbreaking. It was a mistake. And it should never have happened.”
Luxon apologized to the survivors for not being believed, for the staff who turned a blind eye, and for the state's lack of oversight of those in their care.
“Hearing your story, many of us were surprised that something like this could happen here in New Zealand. But that's not the case with you. You've lived the truth and you know the truth. We've been waiting for people to start listening to you, and now New Zealand has.”
The study estimates that of the 655,000 people who visited New Zealand care homes since the 1950s, around 200,000 were abused, and said the actual number of survivors may be much higher.
The report found widespread and systematic sexual, physical and psychological abuse and neglect, resulting in significant trauma for survivors. As a result, many survivors experienced homelessness, poverty, addiction, devastating effects on health and mental health, and reduced education and educational opportunities. work. Some survivors were tortured.
Māori have been disproportionately affected and faced a disconnection from their culture and identity, leading in some cases to joining gangs, being imprisoned, and committing suicide.
Perpetrators included caregivers, religious leaders, social workers, and medical professionals.
Tupua Ulrich, who suffered continued abuse in the care of non-family caregivers as a five-year-old, traveled from Auckland to attend the apology. Ulrich told the Guardian he was going there for himself, his father and his uncles. They were all abused and subsequently died, some by suicide.
“I'm here to hear the government acknowledge the role it played in the pain and trauma it caused my family. Today is not a day of justice, it's a day of government recognition. ”
Mr Ulrich, who was closely involved in the investigation, said the prime minister had clearly read the report but that an apology would be meaningless without a family-led review of the care system.
“The door to consultation is open,” he appealed to the government. “We don't believe you can make things right on your own. We need accountability and transparency in all actions. Without transparency, abuse of power will continue. .”
“Words must be accompanied by actions,” Luxon said in his apology, adding that there were two “big lessons” from the investigation that the government must act on quickly.
“First, we must do the right thing by you and give you the support you need. Second, we must do everything we can to prevent abuse from happening in the future.” No.”
Luxon said the government had started or completed work on 28 of the more than 200 recommendations and announced further resources to establish a new relief system. It has been announced that November 12 next year will be a national day of remembrance, and the names of prominent abusers will be removed from road signs.
The government also introduced legal changes on Tuesday afternoon that would “strengthen protections for people in state care”, including scrapping child strip tests and tightening restrictions on people working with young children.
Opposition leader Chris Hipkins, who spoke after the prime minister, also joined in apologizing on behalf of previous governments for their failure to act.
“I am sorry. Today, all Aotearoa New Zealanders need to know the truth, what survivors have experienced, our decades of willful ignorance, denial and disrespect, and the continuation of such horrors and despicable acts. It will testify to our belief that this will happen,” Hipkins said.
At an event held in Parliament's banquet hall just before the prime minister's speech, the heads of seven agencies, including the acting police commissioner, the social development minister and the attorney general, apologized to survivors. Sometimes their words were drowned out by boos.
The three survivors selected to speak at the event expressed their desire for urgent change and meaningful redress within the care system.
Keith Whiffin, a state care survivor who spoke at the event and later watched the apology from the general public, told the Guardian it was important for him to attend the speech in person.
“Today is a hugely historic day, first of all for the survivors, but also for the country.”
Whiffin, who was taken into state custody at the age of 11 and suffered ongoing sexual assault and psychological abuse, said she believes Luxon and Hipkins' apologies are genuine.
“It gave us hope that there would be a change in the future for those in care and that there would be a real focus on prevention…but also the promise of relief, albeit not immediately. was also essential.
