The Royal Commission’s 2021 redress report identified failings in the Crown’s approach to providing redress to survivors of abuse in care. It recommended a new independent redress system to make things right for survivors of abuse in care and the Crown begin work on the following four projects ahead of the design of an independent redress system:
From 2021 - 2024, the Crown Response Unit worked with agencies to deliver the projects and supported agencies and Ministers with policy considerations.
The following is an update on those projects.
In December 2022 rapid payments were prioritised by the Ministry of Social Development for survivors who are seriously ill or unwell, aged over 70, or those with the oldest claims.
Rapid Payments are now fully integrated into the Ministry's historic claims process.
There are four historic claims agencies:
Find out more: Historic claims agency details
On 12 November 2024, the Prime Minister announced an additional $32 million to increase capacity in the current system while the government works on a new redress system.
In response to the Royal Commission’s recommendation to provide an avenue for survivors to share their experiences of abuse in care the Government (an interim listening service) established the Survivor Experiences Service(external link)(external link) in July 2023.
The service is housed within Te Tari Taiwhenua – Department of Internal Affairs and is guided by an independent Board to provide a safe, supportive, confidential place for survivors of abuse in care, and their whānau, to share their experiences. The Survivor Experiences Service can also help survivors request, receive and understand their care records.
To contact the Survivor Experiences Service:
Visit Home | Survivor Experiences Service(external link)(external link) for more information.
The Royal Commission found that many survivors had difficulty accessing their records. The issues included lengthy delays; or getting incomplete or heavily redacted information.
From 2021-2024, the Crown Response Unit and Archives New Zealand worked together on five initiatives to make it easier for survivors of abuse to access their personal records while they were in care:
For details about this work visit: Improving access to records
The Royal Commission recommended the Crown and relevant faith-based organisations should publicly acknowledge and apologise for the tūkino, or abuse, inflicted and suffered.
The Prime Minister and seven public sector leaders formally apologised to survivors of abuse in care on 12 November 2024:
Responses from faith-based institutions to the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry are below:
In 2023, the Crown Response Unit supported the establishment of a Design Group and Advisory Group to develop a high-level design of an independent redress system.
The Design Group co-chairs were appointed by the Minister for the Public Service in April 2023. They were Dr Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Kahungunu) and Ruth Jones QSM (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata).
Members of the design and advisory groups were nominated by an independent candidate review panel.
On 14 December 2023, the Co-chairs of the Design Group submitted the high-level proposals [PDF, 5.4 MB] on the redress system to the Government.
On 12 November 2024, the Prime Minister announced an additional $32 million to increase capacity in the current system(external link) while the government works on a new redress system in 2025.
In May 2025, the Government outlined improvements to redress and the care safety system.
Post your comment
Comments
No one has commented on this page yet.
RSS feed for comments on this page RSS feed for all comments