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