Changes are coming to State redress

This week marks two years since the release of Whanaketia – Through Pain and Trauma, From Darkness to Light, the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care's final report.

Whanaketia followed the Commissions’ interim redress report He Purapura Ora, he Māra Tipu: From Redress to Puretumu Torowhānui, released in December 2021. Together, the reports set out findings and recommendations to address the wrongs of the past, improve the safety of care systems, and better support those in care, their whānau and communities.

In this Pānui, we provide updates on work to address the wrongs of the past.

Changes are coming to State redress 

Improvements to the State redress service will soon be introduced to make the redress system easier to access, easier to understand, and more consistent for survivors seeking redress for abuse or neglect in State care.

The service will provide a single point of contact for people seeking information about:

·       State redress

·       how to make a new claim

·       updates on an existing claim.

If a person's experiences involve more than one State care setting or government agency, agencies will work together to provide a more joined-up response.

The service is designed to reduce the need for survivors to repeat their experiences. Based in the Ministry of Social Development, it will provide a clear point of contact throughout the redress process.

The State redress service will also change how government agencies work together. This includes changes to how survivor information is collected, used, and shared to support a more joined‑up, survivor‑centred experience when registering a new claim.

Existing claims will continue as normal, and people do not need to take any action at this stage.

Read more about the upcoming changes, how information may be used, and what this means for existing and future claims:

Upcoming redress changes - Redress New Zealand(external link)