Spotlight on abuse turns to Crown

Survivors wait for top officials to give their take at inquiry hearing

A man sexually abused in state care will this week get to hear Crown officials held to account after fighting them for redress over two decades.

Earl White, not his real name, shared his violent and abusive childhood as part of the ongoing Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, investigating abuse in state and faithbased care between 1950- 1999.

More than 500 survivors have shared their stories. In the next two weeks from Monday, Crown witnesses, including the SolicitorGeneral on behalf of the Crown Law Office, will describe their processes for resolving these historic and current claims.

White was physically abused at Epuni Boys’ Home and later sexually abused by a cook while in state care at Hokio Beach School in the 1970s.

He started legal proceedings against the Crown in 1999, but officials refused his early settlement offers, even denying his claims of sexual abuse — despite knowing the staff member had been convicted in

1976 of similar offences at Hokio. It took eight years for the case to go to court and another four before in

2011 he accepted an ex- gratia payment of $ 35,000 from the Ministry of Social Development, though it did not accept responsibility.

White said the Crown would have spent about $ 2 million fighting his case. It was a “nightmare” that retraumatised him, and he didn’t feel justice had been done. His poor education and health issues made it hard to provide for his children and grandchildren.

“I don’t call myself a survivor because I am still waiting to be rescued. That can’t happen until I receive justice, that would be a proper apology from the Prime Minister or Governor General on behalf of the Queen to all of the thousands of children who have been harmed — including me and my brother.”

White said it would be difficult to hear officials discuss his case again, but hoped it would mean nobody else had to go through the same.

“I am living in hell, and hate to think there are hundreds of others . . . I’d like to ask [ the officials] how their lives would have turned out if they had been through what I have been through. They need to be held accountable, I’ve been waiting 21 years for justice.”

He was also speaking for those who couldn’t: “They need to admit what happened in the past, otherwise I can’t see a way forward . . .”

I am living in hell, and hate to think there are hundreds of others . . . ‘ Earl White’

The second State Redress Hearing will begin on Monday and run until November 4, with witnesses including highest- level representatives at the Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Oranga Tamariki, Ministry of Justice and the Solicitor- General responding to survivors’ evidence and outlining past and current policies and processes.

The first hearing last month focused on survivors seeking redress.

The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry i s investigating abuse and neglect in care from 1950- 1999. It may also consider experiences outside those dates.

After its investigations, it will recommend to the Governor General how New Zealand can better care for children, young people and vulnerable adults.