New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon issued a heartfelt apology and promised sweeping reforms on Wednesday after a public inquiry revealed that approximately 200,000 children, young people, and vulnerable adults suffered abuse in state and religious care over the past 70 years. The comprehensive report highlighted systemic failures and a disturbing pattern of neglect and abuse, sparking nationwide calls for justice and compensation.
"This is a dark and sorrowful day in New Zealand's history," Luxon stated at a press conference. "As a society and as a state, we should have done better, and I am determined that we will do so." An official apology is scheduled for November 12.
The inquiry, conducted by a Royal Commission, uncovered that nearly one-in-three individuals in care from 1950 to 2019 experienced some form of abuse. The report, based on testimonies from over 2,300 survivors, detailed harrowing accounts of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, including rape, forced sterilizations, and electric shocks, with the peak of these atrocities occurring in the 1970s.
The findings were particularly damning for New Zealand's Indigenous Maori community and those with mental or physical disabilities, who were disproportionately targeted. Survivors and their supporters filled the public gallery of Parliament as the report was debated, with many standing to sing a Maori song about love and unity after Luxon's address.
"It is a national disgrace that hundreds of thousands of children, young people, and adults were abused and neglected in the care of the state and faith-based institutions," the report declared. It also condemned civil and faith leaders for covering up the abuse and moving perpetrators to different locations to evade accountability.
The report issued 138 recommendations, urging public apologies from New Zealand's government and religious leaders, including the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Catholic Church in New Zealand acknowledged the abuse in a statement, pledging to take action based on the report's findings. The Anglican Church expressed full responsibility for its failures, while the Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church also committed to implementing the recommendations.
The average lifetime cost to an abuse survivor was estimated in 2020 to be approximately NZ$857,000 (US$511,200). Prime Minister Luxon indicated that total compensation could run into billions of dollars. "We're opening up the redress conversations and we're going through that work with survivor groups," he said.
Among the report's significant recommendations was the establishment of a Care Safe Agency to oversee the industry and ensure the safety of those in care. It also called for new legislation mandating the reporting of suspected abuse, including confessions made during religious activities.
The government has pledged to provide answers about its plans for redress by the end of the year. Survivors are pressing for immediate action to address the long-standing injustice. "Further delay is just impacting survivors even more who have waited 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 years," said Tu Chapman, a survivor and advocate.
The inquiry has prompted a national reckoning, with many New Zealanders grappling with the revelations. "We always thought that we were exceptional and different, and the reality is we're not," Luxon admitted, reflecting on the country's tarnished image.
The report also highlighted that many of the country's criminal gang members and prisoners had spent time in care, pointing to the long-term societal impact of the abuse. Indigenous Maori children were particularly targeted, making up the majority of children in care despite being less than 20% of the population during the period examined.
Faith-based institutions, especially the Catholic Church, faced severe criticism. An inquiry report revealed that 42% of those in faith-based care experienced abuse. The Catholic Church had previously acknowledged that 14% of its clergy in New Zealand had faced abuse allegations.
The report urged an investigation into Catholic priests sent to Papua New Guinea to avoid accusations of abuse. Senior Catholic figures in New Zealand have committed to reviewing the report and taking necessary actions.
The average cost of abuse in a survivor's lifetime was detailed in the inquiry, with healthcare and other government-funded measures accounting for less than a quarter of the estimated NZ$857,000 (US$511,200). Survivors have had limited legal recourse, with many accepting small out-of-court settlements. As recently as 2015, the government rejected the need for an inquiry, arguing that abuse was not endemic.
The episode, described by Chris Hipkins, leader of New Zealand's main opposition party Labour, as a "nationwide intergenerational shame," is far from over. The government faces immense pressure to address the report's findings swiftly and comprehensively to restore trust and deliver justice to the survivors.
