Mixed feelings as state abuse survivors mark National Day of Reflection

Source: Radio New Zealand

Survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care will mark a National Day of Reflection at more than 60 events around the country on Wednesday.

A year ago Prime Minister Christopher Luxon apologised in Parliament to survivors and victims.

At least 200,000 children, young people and vulnerable persons were abused by the state and churches from 1950 to 1999.

To mark the National Day of Reflection, the government announced $2.7 million for support and services to survivors and memorials for victims.

But a year on from the government’s apology, many survivors feel the actions of the government are in contradiction to its promises for change.

Changes to the redress system were largely a disappointment to the community, while ongoing harm in the care system was also upsetting.

Survivor Tu Chapman said the Day of Reflection brought mixed feelings for survivors.

“There’s celebration, there’s reflection, but I also think there’s still a whole lot of sadness there that the government haven’t really come to the table with anything.”

The day should act as a reminder to all New Zealanders, Chapman said.

“My hope is … it’s taken on board as a day that we won’t forget what has happened – the atrocities of the past, the 200,000 or so tamariki and mokopuna that were abused in state care during the period of 1950 to 1999 – and we hold as a nation those atrocities at the top of our mind and in our hearts, and we remind ourselves constantly how to be better humans.”

Survivor and advocate Ken Clearwater said many survivors would be reflecting on the broken promises of the government.

“We’ve called our [event] Our Day, Our Voice, which is the survivors talking about where they’ve come from, how it’s affected their lives and how the apology affected their lives and how the Royal Commission affected their lives,” he said.

“People just take for granted that the Royal Commission is awesome, the apology is great, but it’s not the words, it’s the actions, and there’s a lot of actions that are missing at the moment.”

The response of politicians to the events had also been disappointing, Clearwater said.

“We’ve got no politicians coming … because none of them have been able to get leave from Parliament,” he said.

“Yeah, they’re holding this day of remembrance, they’re putting up the funding to have the day of reflection and remembrance, and yet they’re not here to represent the government, to be here to listen to the voices of the survivors. So in a lot of ways, that’s a pretty damning thing for a lot of the survivors, saying, ‘why aren’t the politicians coming?’.”

Survivor Eugene Ryder, who co-chairs the board of the Survivor Experiences Service, says he understood the frustration of many in the community, but Wednesday was also an opportunity to reflect on the progress made.

“Ten to 15 years ago there was near nothing for survivors,” he said.

“So what I’ve seen since the Royal Commission of Inquiry is progress and different survivors have different expectations, they want every recommendation to be acted on by our government but the reality is it hasn’t.

“Another reality is that there’s been so much progress in this space for survivors. There’s been the creation of the Crown Response Office. There’s a Survivor Experiences Service. Those didn’t exist prior to the inquiry and now that they do – that’s seen as progress.”

But he acknowledged the progress had not been fast enough for some and Wednesday was an opportunity to remember those survivors who had died.

“Some survivors have since passed away, even since the tabling of the report, and for those that didn’t receive appropriate redress it seems unfair,” Ryder said.

Chapman, Clearwater and Ryder agreed their work would not be done until abuse in care and all settings was ended.

RNZ asked government ministers with responsibility for responding to the Royal Commission of Inquiry as well as party leaders what their intentions were for the National Day of Reflection, as it was a sitting day in Parliament all intended to be in Wellington apart from Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith, who was travelling overseas.

Lead Response Minister Erica Stanford would attend an event at the Crown Reponse Office.

“She was invited to a survivor led event in Auckland but is unable to attend due to the requirement of being in Parliament,” a spokesperson said.

“A year ago, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and seven public sector leaders apologised for the abuse and neglect suffered by children, young people and vulnerable adults in care and for the torture of children and young people at the Lake Alice Child and Adolescent Unit,” Stanford said, in a statement.

“While it was meaningful for many, it can never undo the harm inflicted on people who should have been protected and cared for. Instead, they were utterly failed. The experiences of thousands of brave survivors will forever be etched in our history. It is on all New Zealanders to do all we can to ensure abuse that should never have been tolerated, no longer occurs.

“A year on from the apology there continues to be significant work to be done to prevent, identify, and respond to abuse in care. The government remains committed to continuing this work with care to ensure the wrongs of the past are not repeated.”

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey would attend an event at the Ministry of Health, Social Development Minister Louise Upston would visit her ministry. Others, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins, would pay their respects in the House.

Public events are being held throughout New Zealand.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand