New Zealand PM issues apology to survivors of decades of abuse in state and faith-based care

• While survivors expressed mixed reactions to the apology, many see it as a necessary step forward

• Calls for compensation and more robust actions persist, as the government works toward implementing the inquiry’s comprehensive recommendations to safeguard vulnerable populations and bring closure to affected families

PRAVASISAMWAD.COM

New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, offered a profound national apology on Tuesday to survivors and families affected by abuse in state and faith-based care institutions over the past 70 years, timesofindia.indiatimes.com reported.

This historic address came after a comprehensive public inquiry, which revealed that nearly 200,000 children and vulnerable adults experienced physical, sexual, and psychological abuse between 1950 and 2019.

Speaking emotionally in parliament, Luxon acknowledged the “unimaginable pain” inflicted on survivors, including torture endured at institutions such as the Lake Alice psychiatric hospital. He emphasized, “It was horrific. It was heartbreaking. It was wrong. And it should never have happened.” Apologizing on behalf of both current and former governments, Luxon took responsibility for the harms these institutions caused.

Among the proposed changes are creating an office to prosecute abusers, renaming streets and monuments associated with perpetrators, and introducing laws to prevent future abuses

The six-year Royal Commission of Inquiry, which interviewed over 2,300 survivors, highlighted pervasive abuse in state care, foster homes, and religious institutions. The findings pointed to a disproportionate impact on New Zealand’s Indigenous Māori community, underscoring the broader social consequences of these abuses.

Luxon assured the public of the government’s commitment to 28 of the 138 recommendations made by the inquiry. These include critical reforms, such as the establishment of a National Remembrance Day in November 2025 to honor the victims.

Additionally, the government plans to set up a redress system by 2025 to ensure justice and support for survivors.

***********************************************************

Readers

These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.

Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world.  We have taken a small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.

For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com