In an emotional speech to parliament on Tuesday, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon offered a formal apology to more than 200,000 children and vulnerable adults who were abused while in state and faith-based care between 1950 and 2019. A year-long investigation exposing widespread and systemic abuse in New Zealand’s care institutions points to one of the country’s most significant abuse scandals.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Care Abuse, launched in 2018, is considered the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand. Over the course of six years, the investigation collected testimonies from more than 2,300 survivors and uncovered harrowing accounts of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, as well as neglect, forced labor and even sterilization. Abuse occurred in state-run institutions, churches and other faith-based facilities, and disproportionately affected Maori and Pacific communities, as well as individuals with mental or physical disabilities.

Luxon makes emotional apology in parliament

Addressing survivors in parliament, Luxon said: “On behalf of my own governments and previous governments, I offer this apology to the survivors. It was terrible. It was so heartbreaking. It was wrong. And this should never have happened. “For many of you this has changed the course of your lives and the government needs to take responsibility for that.”

Survivors and their supporters filled the public gallery in parliament, while others gathered at events across the country or watched live broadcasts to hear Luxon’s apology. Many wept silently as the Prime Minister acknowledged the trauma they and their families had experienced and the state’s failure to protect those in its custody.

Luxon continued: “Your stories have left many of us stunned that this could have happened in New Zealand. But not you; you knew the truth because you lived it and you waited and waited for people to start listening to you. Now New Zealand has listened.”

Abuse Trauma in Care Institutions

The commission’s report, published in July, found that nearly 200,000 of the 655,000 people who had passed through care institutions in New Zealand since the 1950s had been abused. The report highlighted that sexual abuse is more common in faith-based institutions, and that religious leaders often cover up crimes by sending abusers to other places. Many victims died without receiving justice, leaving behind a legacy of trauma that continues to impact survivors and their families.

Survivor Tupua Urlich, who shared his story about the investigation, was present in parliament to witness the apology. Speaking to the BBC, Urlich stressed that the apology was an important step, but that it would be meaningless without concrete actions to reform the care system:

“Justice? No, not yet… These words mean nothing unless they are followed up with action and the right kind of action reported by survivors. The government alone has proven that they are not to be trusted and are not capable of delivering the change and service we need.”

Many survivors, like Urlich, suffered not only physical abuse but also a profound disconnection from their cultural roots, particularly Maori communities. The investigation found that the trauma of abuse often leads to long-term consequences such as homelessness, addiction and mental health problems.

Overhaul of New Zealand’s Care system

In response to the inquiry’s findings, the government has pledged to overhaul New Zealand’s care system to prevent such abuses from happening again. Luxon announced an immediate NZ$32 million (US$19 million) funding into existing support systems for survivors and hinted that a new financial compensation mechanism would be developed, but details are not expected until early next year.

The inquiry made more than 100 recommendations, including mandatory reporting of suspected abuse, public apologies from government and religious authorities, and legal changes to protect children in care. Luxon confirmed that the government had completed or was working on 28 of these recommendations. He also announced new legal protections, such as a ban on strip searches and stricter regulations for individuals working with children.

To honor the survivors and commemorate this painful chapter in New Zealand history, Luxon has declared a National Day of Remembrance to be observed on 12 November each year.

Underlining the government’s determination to learn from past failures, Luxon said, “It is the responsibility of all of us to do what we can to ensure that abuse, which should never be accepted, no longer occurs.”

Call from survivors

Survivors such as Keith Wiffin, who suffered sexual and psychological abuse in state care, emphasized the importance of survivor-led oversight in the reform process.

Tupua Urlich called for greater accountability: “The door to consultation is open. We don’t trust you to fix the problem on your own; we need accountability and transparency in every action taken; Without transparency, abuse of power will continue.”

Opposition leader Chris Hipkins echoed Luxon’s sentiments and issued a joint apology on behalf of successive governments that have failed to protect those in care.

“We’re sorry. Today all of Aotearoa New Zealand will bear witness to the truth, to the experiences of survivors, to our decades of willful ignorance, denial, disdain and our belief to end the continuation of such horror and despicable acts,” Hipkins said.

At an event held in the parliament’s banquet hall just before the prime minister’s speech, the heads of seven departments, including the deputy chief of police, the director general of the ministry of social development and the attorney general, also apologized to survivors. They were occasionally greeted with boos from the audience.

Luxon concluded his apology by saying: “First, we must do the right thing by you and provide you with the support you need. Second, we must do what we can to prevent future abuse from happening.”

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