New Zealand Prime Minister issues national apology to people abused in care (Image credit: AP)

Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon On Tuesday, he issued a historic national apology to the victims and families of those abused in state and faith-based care institutions over the past seven decades.
The apology follows a public inquiry that found nearly 200,000 children and vulnerable adults suffered physical, sexual and psychological abuse between 1950 and 2019.
In an emotional speech to parliament, Luxon acknowledged the “unimaginable pain” endured by survivors, including those tortured in notorious institutions such as the Lake Alice psychiatric hospital.
“It was terrible. It was heartbreaking. It was wrong. And it should never have happened,” Luxon said. The Prime Minister apologized on behalf of both the current and previous governments for the damage caused by these institutions.

Royal Commission of InquirySix years of interviews with more than 2,300 survivors revealed widespread abuses in state care, foster homes and religious institutions, AP news agency reported.
Survivors were disproportionately affected, particularly New Zealand’s Indigenous Māori community.
Luxon vowed the government would stick to 28 of 138 recommendations made by the inquiry and promised further reforms, including the establishment of a National Remembrance Day in November 2025 to honor the victims.
While many survivors expressed mixed feelings about the apology and called for more action and compensation, the Luxon government has committed to establishing a compensation system by 2025.
The investigation’s recommendations included creating an office to prosecute abusers, renaming streets and monuments to be dedicated to perpetrators, and creating laws to prevent future abuses.