As the Prime Minister’s national apology to survivors of State and Faith-based abuse approaches, Te Ohaaki A Hine – National Network Ending Sexual Violence Together (TOAH-NNEST)) calls out the choice of Parliament as the venue, arguing it undermines genuine accountability.

“An apology in the house of Parliament to victims doesn’t cut it,” says Russell Smith, Ngā Kaitiaki Mauri TOAH-NNEST. “True reckoning requires going to where harm occurred and committing to concrete reforms.”

TOAH-NNEST urges immediate, systemic change and calls on all New Zealanders to support survivors in this critical movement toward real justice.

Apology Process Taken Too Long

“The apology process has been unacceptable in terms of the time it has taken and the numerous previous governments who have refused to engage and contend with the steps required to right the historic and current wrongs,” said Jo Bader, Tau iwi caucus TOAHNNEST.

“It is going to take courageous political leadership who are willing to put survivors’ priorities above their own political comfort.”

The national network says the government should have chosen direct engagement at the flaxroots outlining concrete, meaningful actions for survivor restoration and systemic prevention to ensure this never happens again.

“The last place I would allow a perpetrator to pass an apology is from their house,” says Smith.

“You must go out to where the harm occurred to the people and you must do the apology there, not in Parliament the house ultimately responsible for allowing the decades of abuse of a quarter of a million of its citizens.”

Hundreds of Thousands Abused

The Inquiry revealed that approximately 200,000 people experienced abuse in care between 1950 and 1999, though the actual number of survivors is significantly higher. The cost of the abuse and neglect is around $200 billion*.

“From my view of working with offenders and people who have been harmed, the first thing they do is they change their behaviour, and they do that by looking at what mechanisms are in place that maintain this abuse – followed by an apology,” he said.

Venue Choice Undermining ‘True Reckoning’

The venue of the national apology to survivors taking place in the House of Representatives has already undermined public confidence in a true reckoning.

TOAH-NNEST stands in solidarity with survivors of State and Faith-based care and their whānau, honouring their resilience and the powerful collective effort that brought our nation to this moment, especially remembering those who are no longer here to witness this atonement.

"We are disappointed that not all the survivors who courageously shared their stories — or those who never came forward because they did not feel safe or believed — will be able to be present to hear this apology and too many only heard about it indirectly,” said Jo Bader.

"We especially remember those who died waiting for this apology — those whose pain and suffering were compounded by institutional repression that made it impossible for them to have their voices heard. For some, the unbearable load of their abuse and the shame imposed by the system led them to the tragic decision that they could not carry on.”

The Work is Far from Over

TOAH-NNEST is also gravely concerned about the Government’s ongoing policies and decisions that continue to perpetuate harm.

“These actions contradict the vision outlined in ‘He Māra Tipu – the vision for the future’ in the Royal Commission’s report.” Jo Bader said.

The narrative of apology must include include prevention and intervention, highlighting the ongoing abuse in care systems.

Rusell Smith adds, “It is imperative that government policies on abuse are developed by experts in the community.”

A Call to Action

The Royal Commission has provided a clear and coherent programme of work, with defined timeframes for action.

“Now it is our collective responsibility to hold the Government and faith-based organisations to account for delivering the reforms that survivors urgently need,” she said.

TOAH-NNEST recommits to its pivotal role in this ongoing work and calls on all New Zealanders to unify in this critical mission.

“Survivors deserve more than just words. They need fundamental reform. It is time for real action and system change." Said Russell Smith.

*Source: Para 33 https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/reports/whanaketia/part-9/chapter-3/

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