Abuse inquiry final report published; Recent reports highlight current issues in care system

Thu 15 Aug 2024

The final report from the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry has been released.

Abuse in care inquiry final report

The final report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care has been publicly released: Whanaketia – Through pain and trauma, from darkness to light Whakairihia ki te tihi o Maungārongo (2024).

The Inquiry found that between 1950 and 1999, an estimated 200,000 children, young people and adults in care experienced pervasive abuse and neglect. Between 1950 and 2019, it is estimated that up to 256,000 children, young people and adults in care were abused and neglected, of an estimated 655,000 – nearly 40%.

It found that abuse was severe and widespread, that critical rights were ignored or overlooked altogether, and that abuse was deeply rooted and enabled across all levels of the systems responsible for providing care. The effects of colonisation, racism, ableism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and other forms of discrimination compounded the abuse. This meant that more Māori were placed in care, and once in care, were treated more harshly. Pacific survivors also experienced racial abuse and cultural neglect. Deaf and disabled survivors also experienced targeted abuse.

The Executive summary says the report:

"...shines a light on the institutional and systemic failures by recounting the experiences of people in care and their subsequent life‑long pain and trauma. It sets out a path to ensure all in care are safe, cared for and supported to lead their best possible lives."

Many of the institutional systems enabled abusers and institutions to abuse and neglect people in their care with impunity, without fear of consequence. The report says that:

"The State was ultimately responsible for the care system during the Inquiry period. This system was one of institutionalisation. Instead of addressing the social and cultural needs of whānau by resourcing and empowering families to care for their own, the State placed children, young people and adults in punitive, institutional settings that segregated and isolated them from their whānau and communities where they were of sight and out of mind."

The report also states that "...most of the factors that led or contributed to abuse and neglect during the Inquiry period continue to persist." The Whanaketia brochure, gives a brief overview of the report, and says "The Inquiry’s report says fundamental changes are needed to safeguard the children, young people and adults who are in care today."

There are 138 recommendations. They cover 3 key themes:

righting the wrongs of the past
making current care safe
entrusting and empowering communities.

The report is made up of an introductory volume with 9 parts, a survivor experience study and five case studies. In addition there are summaries of survivor experiences for Māori; Pacific; Takatāpui, Rainbow and MVPFAFF+; women and girls; Disabled; Deaf; survivors of abuse in faith-based care; and survivors of abuse in mental health care settings.

Many other reports that were commissioned by or prepared for the Royal Commission have been publicly released. You can find all reports related to the Abuse in Care Inquiry in our library. RNZ has also compiled related media and links to the debate in Parliament when the Report was tabled.

Government response

Erica Stanford is the Lead Coordinator Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions. She will lead a Ministerial Group to respond to the report’s findings and the 138 recommendations along with the 95 recommendations from the interim report that was released in December 2021. Minister Stanford said the government is prioritising decisions related to redress and "Other recommendations will require more time to consider and respond to, particularly those involving legislative and major organisational change. We will provide an update by November.” The Government announced that a formal apology will take place on 12 November 2024. The Government has also announced Urgent payments for terminally ill Lake Alice survivors.

For more see the Prime Minister's speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care. Also see Minister Stanford and the Prime Minister's statement that acknowledges torture at Lake Alice.

For ongoing information, see the website of the Crown Response to the Abuse in Care Inquiry. You can sign up for email updates from the Crown response by emailing contact@abuseinquiryresponse.govt.nz with 'pānui' in the subject line.

Survivor Experiences Service

The Survivor Experiences Service is available for people who were abused in state, faith-based or other forms of care, and for whānau of survivors. You can share your experiences of abuse in care and get help with finding your own care records.

Responses to the report

Many survivors and survivor advocates have responded to the report. We highlight some of these below. Find more in the related media below.

VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai published a submission to the Royal Commission sharing the voices and key asks of 11 rangatahi who experienced abuse while in state care after 1999, highlighting that abuse in care has continued beyond the scope of the Royal Commission which was limited to 1950-1999 (read Korowai Aroha | Position Statement and Key Asks)
Royal Commission: Disability voices reflect on the Abuse in Care Inquiry final report from the D-List
Paora Moyle, interviewed by Waatea news (listen to the full interview)
Aaron Smale's Newsroom articles Finally heard, seen – and believed and The Crown is in the dock, the verdict is in (RNZ interviewed Aaron Smale)
Eugene Ryder, Ihorangi Reweti-Peters and Paora Moyle, interviewed by The Hui, shared by Stuff
Ken Clearwater, interviewed by Newstalk ZB
Moeapulu Frances Tagaloa and Thomas Tarurongo Wynne, interviewed by 531pi (also see the related PMN article)
Mana Mokopuna – Children and Young People's Commission
Te Kāhui Tika Tangata | Human Rights Commission
Youth Focused Organisations Highlight Policy Shift Needed To Avoid Repeating The Abuse Outlined In Recent Reports, media release from Ara Taiohi
Te Toihau Hauora, Hauātanga | Health & Disability Commissioner
Te Hiringa Mahara | Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission.

Related news: Recent reports highlight current issues in care

Recent media and reports continue to raise concerns that abuse in care has not stopped, and that the culture and systems that enable this abuse have not changed.

Aroturuki Tamariki, the Independent Children’s Monitor, published report in 2024 on the implementation of the recommendations of Dame Karen Poutasi following the death of Malachi Subecz. Aroturuki Tamariki found that children are no safer in 2024, than when Malachi died. See our library for agency responses and to read the report, Towards a stronger safety net to prevent abuse of children: A review of the implementation of the recommendations of Dame Karen Poutasi following the death of Malachi Subecz (2024). See responses to the report from the Chief Children's Commissioner and VOYCE - Whakarongo Mai.

Te Toihau Hauora, Hauātanga | Health & Disability Commissioner (HDC) released a report on five years of complaints made to the HDC about residential disability support services. In response to the report, Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission’s Disability Rights Commissioner, Prudence Walker said "...the findings of this report are a timely reminder that we cannot view systemic abuse of institutionalised people as only historic." Also see the Whaikaha Ministry of Disabled People response.

Following monitoring visits, Mana Mokopuna – Children and Young People's Commission published reports raising serious concerns about 2 youth justice residences: Korowai Manaaki monitoring report (2024) and Whakatakapokai monitoring report. See related media below for more information.

See more information in the related media below, such as Kerri Cleaver's article on seeking redress, ‘The phone call was an interrogation, with an underlying current that I was fraudulent’ and the NZ Herald article Young women who say they were abused in Oranga Tamariki care call for agency to be stripped of its responsibilities.

Related news

Despite concerns raised by survivors, advocates and organisations, the Government has launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North. Find more information on military-style academies from Oranga Tamariki. The Chief Children's Commissioner has said military-style academies and the establishment of a Young Serious Offender category for children are not the answer to reducing youth crime.

Minister Karen Chhour announced that the Oranga Tamariki Ministerial Advisory Board has been re-established. Waatea News interviewed the Board Chair, Tā Mark Solomon.

Church institutions still not accountable for abuse — campaigners, One News, 08.08.2024

Senior public servants on notice over abuse in care failings, Newsroom, 05.08.2024

Not enough safety nets to protect children from harm - Children's Commissioner, RNZ, 02.08.2024

Arran Jones | Aroturuki Tamariki Chief Executive, Waatea News, 02.08.2024

Exhibition gives voice to survivors of abuse in care, The Post, 02.08.2024

Show me the money: Is it time for real action on Royal Commission’s recommendations?, Stuff, 02.08.2024

Malachi Subecz follow-up report: Children aren’t any safer today than when the 5-year-old was brutally murdered, NZ Herald, 01.08.2024

No ‘Zero Appetite’ For Culture Of Abuse In New Zealand Catholic Church, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) media release, Scoop, 02.08.2024

Malachi Subecz was murdered in 2021 – report finds NZ children 'no safer now', One News, 01.08.2024

There are still vulnerable abused in state institutions, The Press, 30.07.2024

Opinion: I can’t help but look at the system and think those are our babies, our Māori babies, Te Ao Māori News, 29.07.2024