Child abuse file sent to wrong man
An urgent investigation has been launched into how confidential child abuse records were sent to the wrong person by the Ministry of Social Development.
The records are part of historic abuse claims relating to sexual, physical, and psychological abuse or neglect of children while they were in a wide range of social welfare, health, education and churchrun homes, as well as foster care and family homes.
The claims involved a wide range of allegations from people who had been in state care, covering a 70-year period, with most between the 1960s and 1980s.
Ministry of Social Development chief executive Brendan Boyle confirmed MSD was investigating a privacy breach involving its historic claims unit.
The ministry had been contacted on Tuesday by the claimant who had received information meant for someone else, Boyle said.
Radio New Zealand reported the information had been sent to a man who had requested his file to build his case under the historic claims process, but was sent the file of another man with the same name.
The man was reportedly given names, addresses and detailed accounts of children as young as six being beaten and covered in bruises.
Boyle was ‘‘extremely concerned’’ that private information about a claimant had ended up with the wrong person.
‘‘This is completely unaccept- able. People need to be able to trust us in this extremely sensitive process.’’
An investigation was underway on how the mistake had occurred, and how to prevent further errors in handling information.
‘‘I apologise to the two people affected by this and steps will be taken to put it right with them,’’ Boyle said.
The ministry has received 1572 historic abuse claims since 2004, with payouts totalling $8.4 million in the 583 cases resolved so far – an average of just under $14,500 per case.
In May, Social Development Minister Anne Tolley announced plans to give people with unresolved claims the option of a ‘‘fast-track’’ payout, which dismayed advocates for abuse victims.