“You Promised Us A Safer Future, Now Is The Time To Deliver"

Care-experienced young people across Aotearoa have witnessed a moment that’s now etched in our history, and after the government delivered its public apology to survivors this morning, there’s hope for a new era of care after decades of abuse and neglect.

VOYCE - Whakarongo Mai has been advocating for care experienced rangatahi since 2017, and hosted many young people at its offices across the motu to watch the moment unfold.

Others gathered at official events in Auckland and Christchurch, while VOYCE CEO Tracie Shipton was in Wellington at Pipitea Marae. She says today’s apology has been a long time coming, and the mood of the room was hard to describe.

“Understandably there was anxiety, grief and anger; but there was also love, support and a tangible sense of expectation.”

“The apologies seemed sincere, but amongst those listening there was disappointment that there is still no redress system; and a sense that unless the apology is followed by action the words will seem hollow.”

The apology which came nearly four months after the release of the Royal Commission of Inquiry’s report on abuse in care focused on abuse in state and faith-based institutions between 1950 to 1999, but the Commission also heard from survivors whose abuse occurred outside of that timeframe.

“Whanaketia was a culmination of the bravery of the survivors who came forward and shared their stories. Today’s apology was a moment fought for by survivors for generations.”

“It has sent a clear message that they have been heard, believed, and that they have been grievously wronged by the very systems and people who were meant to protect them.”

The Abuse in Care Report outlined 138 recommendations, and attention now turns to their implementation and the promises made at today’s apology.

“It was reassuring to have acknowledgement from both the Prime Minister and leader of the opposition that whilst the Royal Commission was investigating historical abuse, they understand abuse didn’t just end in 1999.”

“It was also reassuring to hear they understood the need to implement the recommendations and do all they can to ensure tamariki still in care are safe now and into the future.”

Care Experienced Advocate Ihorangi Reweti Peters and VOYCE National Care Experienced Lead Tupua Urlich were among many survivors to attend the apology at parliament.

Both were among 11 rangatahi who made the only group submission to the Royal Commission as young people who experienced abuse post 1999.

Urlich says today is a huge day for all survivors, many of whom have care experienced whanau across multiple generations.

“This is a day about acknowledgement and recognition, not justice or accountability.”

“Today is about educating the public and those who work in the sector about the battles many of our young people have had to survive. The pain, the torture, the isolation and the suffering that the state has imposed on our most vulnerable young people since these institutions began.”

But Urlich agrees that today’s apology means nothing unless it’s followed by meaningful action.

“To do this right, survivors must be at the table and equal power and weight must be given to their experiences and expertise.”

“To heal as a nation we need ways to hold those who make decisions that allow this kind of abuse and harm to be held to account.”

The government today announced a national remembrance day, and an increase in funding to help with support for survivors and the financial redress system.

It also introduced a bill that includes a ban on strip-searching children, and stronger regulations around who can work with rangatahi after much of the abuse detailed to the Royal Commission was in residence.

“We support the changes to remove strip searching children in residences and to scan those entering the residences” says Shipton.

“This is a good start, but in the context of the ‘tough on crime’ rhetoric being promoted around youth crime by both the government and certain sections of the public - we remain concerned that the environment and culture around youth justice residences remains riddled with risks for our young people and more needs to be done to ensure their safety or we could face the same situation again in the near future.”

Shipton says today’s apology is just the beginning, and we must ensure that the changes advocated for lead to real, lasting improvements in the care system.

““This means meaningful redress for survivors and proper safety mechanisms to protect tamariki currently in care and our future generations. There are children at risk right now who are waiting for us to get this right.”

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