News of an extension for the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry reinforces the importance of the voices of survivors and the work of the Commission.

The Government announced today the Commission must deliver its final report and recommendations by 28 March 2024. The previous deadline was 30 June 2023.

“The scale of abuse is beyond what anyone had ever imagined at the start of this inquiry,” said Inquiry Chair Coral Shaw.

Significant amounts of new evidence has been received and report writing is well underway.

“More time ensures our final report and recommendations are impactful and meaningful for survivors. They must demand transformational change in the way we care for tamariki, rangatahi and adults in care,” said Shaw.

The Royal Commission has the widest scope of any similar inquiry around the world.

“Our final report and recommendations must be robust and credibly meet the terms of reference, as well the expectation of the courageous survivors who shared their care experiences and ongoing impact,” Shaw said.

“Up until registrations closed on 21 March 2023, survivors continued to come forward to be heard. We also continue to receive new evidence. We have received 400,000 new evidential documents recently, held 133 days of public hearings, and undertook many survivor engagement hui across the motu.

“We are now focused on analysing this information, testing and refining our findings and recommendations to ensure they will affect meaningful change to prevent abuse in care happening again.

“The granting of this extension is a welcome acknowledgment of the enormity of this inquiry and the importance of getting it right, but we also know that survivors have been waiting a long time for recognition of the abuse and neglect that they suffered in the care of the State and faith-based institutions,” said Shaw

Many survivors have already passed before they have received puretumu torowhānui – a proper apology, compensation or acknowledgement of what happened to them.

“We encourage the Government and faith-based institutions to continue progressing the recommendations made in our report He Purapura Ora, he Māra Tipu - From Redress to Puretumu Torowhānui,” she said.

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