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New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon made a historic national apology on Tuesday to victims and families of those abused in state and faith-based care institutions over the past seven decades.
The apology followed a public inquiry, which found that approximately 200,000 children and vulnerable adults were subjected to physical, sexual, and psychological abuse between 1950 and 2019.
In an emotional address to the parliament, Luxon acknowledged the “unimaginable pain” endured by survivors, including those subjected to torture in notorious institutions such as the Lake Alice psychiatric hospital.
“It was horrific. It was heartbreaking. It was wrong. And it should never have happened,” Luxon said. The Prime Minister apologised on behalf of both current and previous governments for the harm caused by these institutions.
The Royal Commission of Inquiry, which lasted six years and spoke to over 2,300 survivors, revealed widespread abuse in state care, foster homes, and religious institutions, reported the news agency AP.
Survivors, particularly from New Zealand’s Indigenous Māori community, were disproportionately affected.
Luxon promised the government’s commitment to 28 of the 138 recommendations made by the inquiry and vowed to introduce further reforms, including the establishment of a National Remembrance Day in November 2025 to honour victims.
While many survivors expressed mixed emotions about the apology, calling for further action and compensation, Luxon’s government has committed to setting up a redress system by 2025.
The inquiry’s recommendations included the creation of an office to prosecute abusers, the renaming of streets and monuments dedicated to perpetrators, and the creation of laws to prevent future abuses.
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