New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has issued a powerful public apology to survivors of abuse in state and church-run institutions, acknowledging the severe failures that allowed extensive harm to vulnerable individuals in these systems. Addressing parliament, Luxon’s statement comes after a harrowing independent inquiry reported findings of abuse affecting approximately 200,000 children, young people, and vulnerable adults over seven decades in New Zealand’s state and faith-based care.
“It was horrific. It was heartbreaking. It was wrong. And it should never have happened,” Luxon said. His comments underscored the profound impact of abuse on survivors’ lives and emphasized that the government bears responsibility for these life-altering experiences. Luxon continued, expressing regret that many survivors were dismissed when they attempted to report their experiences: “I am sorry you were not believed when you came forward to report your abuse. I am sorry that many bystanders—staff, volunteers, and carers—turned a blind eye and failed to stop or report abuse.”
The apology follows the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, which concluded that nearly one in three people in state or religious care between 1950 and 2019 experienced abuse. The Commission’s report described widespread sexual abuse as “commonplace” and noted that physical abuse was “prevalent across all settings.” In some cases, staff resorted to extreme methods to inflict pain, including the use of weapons and electric shocks. The report labeled this widespread mistreatment as a “national disgrace.”
The inquiry also highlighted systemic discrimination against New Zealand’s Maori and Pacific Islander communities, whose members were often targeted based on ethnicity. For many, this included being prevented from engaging in cultural practices or connecting with their heritage, compounding the harm they endured in the care system.
In response to the Commission’s 138 recommendations, which include public apologies and reforms, Luxon’s statement signals a significant step toward accountability and healing. Key recommendations also include legislative changes to hold abusers accountable more effectively and the creation of a Ministry for the Care System, which would operate independently of other government agencies.
Luxon’s apology also addressed the failures of those within the care institutions who either participated in or ignored the abuse: “You deserved so much better. And I am deeply sorry that New Zealand did not do better by you.” The statement reflects a broader commitment to addressing the injustices suffered by survivors, marking a historic moment in New Zealand’s journey toward confronting and rectifying systemic abuse in state and church care.
