Abuse in state care rife for decades

Abuse in New Zealand institutions is more significant than first thought and continues to the present day, a Royal Commission of Inquiry has concluded in its first report.

The report, Ta¯wharau: Pu¯rongo a te Wa¯ , details the findings from private and public hearings held so far in the five-year inquiry, which began in 2018 under the Coalition Government and covers 1950 to 1999.

In all, 1900 survivors and 350 witnesses are taking part, along with state institutions such as the Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Education, and faith-based institutions like churches and religious schools.

The interim report describes unrelenting misery for victims of abuse in state institutions, detailing how they were often worse-off in care despite coming from broken homes.

Abuse was rife, complaints processes were non-existent or inadequate, and abusers were rarely held to account, often being moved to another institution without punishment or having their crimes covered up by senior officials.

The state’s redress process was also described as unsatisfactory, and almost solely focused on controlling costs while aggressively defending itself in court or creating convoluted out-of-court processes and offering meagre compensation.

“This is not New Zealand at its best,” said Public Service Minister Chris Hipkins at Parliament yesterday.

“This is New Zealand at its absolute worst. We will all be horrified by some of their stories.”

Hipkins acknowledged the courage and determination of survivors who relived their experiences with the commission.

“The report is a difficult read, and shows the enormity of abuse and trauma that has occurred. The hurt and anguish that has been caused in New Zealand’s history is inexcusable.”

Hipkins said it was important to note changes already made since 2000, including improved vetting, training and oversight of staff and caregivers.

According to a commissioned report, an estimated 655,000 people went into care between 1950 and 1999 and up to 250,000 may have been abused — though the commission noted that there were large gaps and deficiencies in the data and this was a rough estimate.

The survivors came from all walks of life, but many came from the most vulnerable parts of society — Ma¯ori and Pacific families, disabled people, women and girls, and poor households.

Physical and sexual abuse occurred. Survivors spoke of unreasonable physical restraint; degrading treatment; use of electro-shock therapy as punishment; unjustified solitary confinement; improper strip searches and vaginal examinations; and verbal abuse and racist slurs.