The apology is one thing. But some advocates say there are survivors who are expecting unrealistic payouts.

Apology

Erica Stanford, the minister leading the government response to the inquiry, has announced a Parliamentary apology on November 12 for the State's failures across successive governments.

Some government agency chief executives are expected to apologise as well on that day.

Compensation

"Everybody's just on tenterhooks" said survivor advocate Ruth Money (pictured).

Some lawyers had been hyping up expectations of big payouts, she said. Some survivor circles spoke of individual payouts as high as $3.6 million.

"You literally spend hundreds of hours explaining to survivors, in very long, distressing phone calls, that our system is very different and there's no way a survivor in New Zealand is going to get anywhere near that amount of money."

Many survivors are hypervigilant and still mentally fragile, Money said.

"It's easier for us to see, from the outside looking in. It's not our lived experience. We don't have the PTSD triggers."

Royal Commission findings

The Abuse in Care inquiry found evidence of abuse and failures in many places entrusted to care for children and young people.

Survivor Mike Ledingham said he did not see the point of the apology without meaningful change.

He doesn't think leaders of many religious or state institutions can be trusted to address abuse allegations fairly even today.

He's pleased though that the Commission helped expose wrongdoing and New Zealanders now know how rampant it had been.

He says that was a big change from a generation ago, or even from five years ago. When he and his brother first spoke publicly about their abuse in 2002, they were threatened with death.

Verbal abuse and threats continued until the Royal Commission began in 2018. Now there are virtually none.

Failure to deliver

Murray Heasley of the Network for Survivors of Abuse in Faith-Based Institutions attended a number of early Commission hearings.

"The Royal Commission, which promised so much and which we encouraged people to engage with ... has failed to deliver" he said.

He is concerned about the effect the Commission has had on survivors.

In his view it became increasingly unsafe, awash with bureaucracy and identity politics.

"The majority of our survivors feel they've been ghosted" Heasley told the Herald.

"They're extremely anxious, they feel betrayed."

Most have low expectations, though some are still hopeful "that historic survivors will get some redress and the Government will acknowledge that it's urgent" he said.

Source

The New Zealand Herald

"The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission's final report.

"It will have the mandate to drive action across the public service, ensuring this work is treated as a priority across Government," Lead Coordination Minister Erica Stanford says. Read more

The New Zealand Bishops Conference, in a report issued by Te Ropu Tautoko, says it also highlights areas where more work is needed.

Te Ropu Tautoko coordinated the Church's engagement with the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.

Te Ropu Tautoko says UK-based GCPS Consulting's assessment examined the implementation and suitability of safeguarding culture standards across the Catholic Church in New Zealand.

Unsafe institutions

The assessment revealed that up to 42 percent of those in faith-based care run by all denominations were abused from 1950 to 1999 - the period the Royal Commission focused on.

"The assumed moral authority and trustworthiness of clergy and religious leaders allowed abusers in faith-based institutions to perpetrate abuse and neglect with impunity" says Royal Commission advisor Arrun Soma.

"Religious beliefs were often used to justify the abuse and neglect and to silence survivors.

"Hierarchical and opaque decision-making processes impeded scrutiny and making complaints", he told the New Zealand Parliament in July this year.

A 2020 briefing from the Catholic Church previously noted abuse accusations against 14 percent of its New Zealand clergy during those decades.

Better safeguarding planned

The President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference, Bishop Steve Lowe, is encouraged by the range of approaches that are working well and acknowledges the areas that need further strengthening.

Critical recommendations for Catholic safeguarding in New Zealand include:

• Increased dialogue with survivors and their representatives
• Regular public reporting on the number of cases reported to Church authorities
• Ensuring documents are more accessible for people from a range of backgrounds
• Seeking to undertake investigations in a more timely manner
• Assessing the Church's allocation of resources on prevention and responding to complaints and concerns
• Ensuring safeguarding is embedded in all roles for those working in the Church

"We are grateful for the dedicated and knowledgeable people we have guiding our safeguarding initiatives, but it is important that we provide them with the appropriate support and promote collaboration and ongoing development for them" Lowe says.

Father Thomas Rouse, President of the Congregational Leaders Conference, stresses the need for increased dialogue with survivors and their representatives.

"The road towards a sense of truth, of justice, of healing is one we must walk with those who have been abused in our settings" he says.

Rouse and Lowe want their organisations to develop an official plan to respond to the Royal Commission's findings.

Source

• Crux Now
• Catholic News Agency
• Errors made in an earlier version of this article have been rectified.

After almost five years of service, O'Neill's last day was 9 August.

Children's records destroyed

The Royal Commission found Presbyterian Support Otago (PSO) in late 2017 had destroyed records of children in its care.

Established in 2018, PSO was set up to investigate children, young people and vulnerable adults' experiences of abuse and neglect in State and non-State care between 1950-1999.

The Royal Commission heard in 2017 that PSO's former chief executive, Gillian Bremner, had instructed a staff member to destroy the records.

The only thing she told the staff member to retain was a register of names and dates.

Bremner told the Inquiry she destroyed the records after seeking advice from lawyer and ex-PSO board chairperson Frazer Barton.

O'Neill does not know why the records were destroyed but says it is not something she would have done.

"All I am aware of is that a staff member at the time, who is no longer here, was informed the destruction of the records was to occur" she told RNZ.

"At the end of the day, all I can say is that I am heartbroken that those records were destroyed.

"I am completely appreciative of the fact that it would've enabled individuals who had been on a journey of care to have access to information of what they've been through and I am desperately sorry that occurred."

Inquiry takes its toll

O'Neill said her few years leading Presbyterian Support Otago through its response to the Royal Commission had been a significant time.

"It does take a toll, it is something that sits with you, it doesn't leave you."

It was "a massive piece of work and everybody here has done a phenomenal job" she said.

"After five years and all of the dealings like Covid etc, I think it's now time for somebody else to take the reins and lead the organisation forward."

Advice investigated

New Zealand Law Society president Frazer Barton has taken leave of absence since a complaint was made about legal advice he provided concerning the destruction of the records.

The commission's report says that when PSO asked Barton if the records could be destroyed, he said Yes - at an "appropriate milestone or anniversary".

Barton told RNZ he did not know in 2017 and 2018 an inquiry was in the offing, or that the records would have been crucial to it.

"My advice to destroy them at an appropriate time, that's not go ahead and destroy them now" he said.

Law firm Anderson Lloyd - of which Barton is a partner - said the issue concerning destroying Presbyterian Support Otago's documents is now the subject of Law Society complaints. They support that process.

"The Abuse in Care Royal Commission report was heart-rending, and our sympathies lie with the abuse survivors" Anderson Lloyd said.

Source

• RNZ

In fact, it's a relatively small percentage of families.

More damage is done to children by these families than by the state.

Regarding the killing of children - and there is one every five weeks in New Zealand - the vast majority occur in the home and the perpetrators are family members.

And when these murders occur, too often there are examples of the family protecting the offender from prosecution, leaving justice for our most vulnerable horribly wanting.

And, of course, for each of the young kids brutalised to death in the home, there are scores who survive the horror of their environments and subsequently go on to endure highly dysfunctional and criminal lives.

Indeed, one of the great tragedies of state care is that it was very often protecting children who had already endured an abusive start to life, but on too many occasions the state just heaped more misery upon them. The cruelty of that is unforgivable.

Understanding, though, the role of highly dysfunctional families is consequential.

If, for example, we were to fix all the problems with, say, Oranga Tamariki uplifts and they were made to be the highest functioning organisation possible, we would still be left with horrors occurring to children in family homes.

Yet if we were to fix families and rid them of abuse, we would have no need for Oranga Tamariki uplifts.

Given that, fixing the actions and activities of the state are tremendously important, but the saviour of the country's vulnerable children is more fundamentally situated in private homes.

Solve that and we solve the lot. Read more

Dr Jarrod Gilbert is the director of Independent Research Solutions and a sociologist at the University of Canterbury.

Adams (pictured) chose to speak to media about the report so he could put a face to the Church's response to the Royal Commission's findings.

The Royal Commission found between 1950 and 2019 over 250,000 vulnerable people were abused and neglected at places where they were meant to be cared for, including faith-based institutions.

The Church's culture has been changing since the early 2000s, Adams told Stuff. The Royal Commission's report has prompted further changes which are now embedded throughout the country.

Change well underway

The changes in the Church began after the Boston Globe newspaper revealed widespread sexual abuse by priests in the US, Adams says.

The closed mouth silence about sex abuse that was prevalent then no longer exists. A generation later there's zero appetite for that culture in the Church, he says.

Where in the past there was no accountability and leaders failed, checks and balances are now in place to ensure this doesn't happen again.

Just the same, it is important to avoid assuming the old culture remains in the past. "There are vulnerabilities still" he says.

Changes made

Adams summarises a swathe of changes the Catholic Church in New Zealand has instigated:

• All New Zealand's Catholic parishes have material about safeguarding
• All volunteers who will work with others are given safeguarding training and must have a police check.
• Police checks are mandatory for anyone applying to join the seminary to become a priest and must undergo psychological testing
• All dioceses in New Zealand have safeguarding officers
• A national office for professional standards has been set up to promote safeguarding and hear complainants. It has an independent complaint process
• Priests are expected to complete safeguarding qualifications
• Accusations against church members result in their being stood down and their accusers are advised to contact the police
• Priests found guilty of profound misconduct are no longer involved in active ministry

Redress

The Government is now turning its attention to providing redress for the survivors. What this will involve will be announced later this year.

Adams says the Church will wait for the Government to announce its strategy before considering redress. This could include compensation and providing counselling, he said.

He encourages anyone who has been abused to go to the police. They may also contact the national office for professional standards, his office or survivor groups.

Source

• Stuff

Where to get help:

• Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865/ 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
• Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7) or text 4202
• Samaritans: 0800 726 666 (24/7)
• Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz
• What's Up: free counselling for 5 to 19 years old, online chat 11am-10.30pm 7days/week or free phone 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787 11am-11pm Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm or text 832 Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and English.
• Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
• Healthline: 0800 611 116
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
• OUTLine: 0800 688 5463 (6pm-9pm)
• If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

Sexual Violence

• NZ Police
• Victim Support 0800 842 846
• Rape Crisis 0800 88 33 00
• Rape Prevention Education
• Empowerment Trust
• HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655- push 0 at the menu
• Safe to talk: a 24/7 confidential helpline for survivors, support people and those with harmful sexual behaviour: 0800044334
• Male Survivors Aotearoa
• Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) 022 344 0496

"The recommendations have now been provided to Erica Stanford as the Minister responsible for coordinating the Crown response to the inquiry," Ms van Velden says.

"The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care is bigger and broader than any other inquiry undertaken in New Zealand. This is a significant step in drawing the Royal Commission to a close after a six-year inquiry. Read more

The high-level inquiry covering children abused while in state and faith-based care was due to present its report on 28 March.

Why the delay

The Department of Internal Affairs which is preparing the report is intending to ask Parliament for an extension to the deadline.

The Department's Secretary, Paul James (pictured), says Internal Affairs has been responsible for providing administrative support for five Royal Commissions.

It has "never managed to deliver one on time and on budget" he says.

"They are very complex and often put together under a real point of pressure; something's happened or there is an issue that needs the highest possible level of scrutiny outside of the court system."

He says there are two factors behind the delay in completing the report.

One concerns the inquiry's enormous scale. The other involves a legal hurdle.

"There has been a live legal challenge, a judicial review, running in respect of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care at the moment" James says.

"Some of those things make it hard to hit the reporting deadlines or stated budget."

Inquiry chairperson Coral Shaw has previously said the scale of abuse is far greater than anyone imagined when the inquiry began.

Right now, besides writing the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care report detailing historic abuse, others at Internal Affairs are working to keep today's children safe.

Online child exploitation increasing

Reports show that online child sexual exploitation is increasing here in New Zealand and gobally.

The National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children referred 18,598 reports of child exploitation material to New Zealand agencies.

That is a 283 percent increase in the period from 2021-2023 compared to 2018-2020.

2023 statistics from the Department's Digital Child Exploitation Team show it undertook 47 investigations into child exploitation.

The investigations turned up 2,966,773 pieces of 'material' and 209 seized devices.

In addition, the Department blocked over 1 million websites known to harbour child sexual abuse material. It received nearly 20,000 illegal material referrals as well.

Between January and December 2023, the Digital Child Exploitation team:

· undertook 47 Digital Child Exploitation investigations

· successfully prosecuted 15 offenders; the remainder are still going through the legal process

· helped safeguard 35 children from sexual abuse in New Zealand

· identified 414 child victims as part of international joint operations

· seized 209 devices

· categorised 2,966,773 pieces of material

· blocked 1,149,570 websites known to harbour child sexual abuse material

· received 18,461 referrals from NCMEC to NZ Police, the Department of Internal Affairs and NZ Customs Services

· received 921 referrals from the public and 348 referrals from other NZ agencies

Source

• Scoop
• RNZ

The Waikato Times reports a woman from within the Hamilton Catholic diocese saying that in a meeting with Lowe, she told him she was raped by a Catholic priest who had visited her house to perform a blessing.

In the course of the conversation, the Times discloses the woman says Lowe told her, "SNAP have blown things out of proportion at the Royal Commission [of Inquiry into Abuse in Care]."

The comments left her feeling "the church has let me down," she says.

"I was shaking, and it caused me to cry because the Bishop brought back a feeling that what the priest did to me was not significant.

"When survivors speak up against the abuse then the Bishop thinks this is out of proportion. I would like to know what a proportionate response is to being raped by a priest, as I was."

With legal matters continuing, the Waikato Times sought an interview with Lowe about the woman's experience but says the diocese responded with an emailed statement from Lowe.

Quoting from part of the email, The Times reports Lowe indicated he had been "actively helping [the woman] in my role as Bishop.

"I am not able to breach the confidentiality of my work with her by discussing it in public."

However, the abuse victim complained to a Catholic abuse Survivor network (SNAP) about Lowe and his response to her disclosure.

Against the background of ongoing legal matters, SNAP's national leader Dr Christopher Longhurst is looking to Lowe for a more pastoral resolution to his comment and the effect it had on the woman.

"I am sorry that Bishop Lowe has not been upfront with an explanation as to what he said," says Longhurst. "I do not believe this has anything to do with confidentiality. Privacy and confidentiality pertain to personal information, not to process or requests for clarification."

"To me, the Bishop's response seems like an example of the three Ds of avoiding accountability: deny, deflect, diffuse. A straightforward and honest response to our request for clarification would have been more appropriate," Longhurst adds.

"Stonewalling, silence and denial are the constant response from this Bishop," says Longhurst.

Longhurst feels an apology to the woman "would have been more appropriate and is still warranted".

Source

• The Waikato Times

Hipkins has plans to cut a 3000-strong waiting list of claimants of abuse in state care - such as children's homes - by making "rapid payments".

Survivors of abuse in religious and faith-based settings are not included.

Hipkins said the new scheme would cover both state and religious claimants, but faith-based institutions would for now provide their own claims and redress processes.

"While we are engaging with faith-based institutions, it is currently up to each of them to determine whether to introduce faster payment processes," he said.

"It's worth noting that faith-based institutions can often settle claims more quickly than these agencies."

Dave Mullin (pictured), who leads the Te Ropu Tautoko catholic church group dealing with the Commission and the Crown Response Unit, said they were closely studying the Cabinet paper that detailed Hipkins' announcement.

"We are seeking clarity from government officials on how and when matters of faith-based redress will be incorporated into this process, and we look forward to engaging in the work.

"Meanwhile, the church asks survivors who - due to serious ill-health or age - may not be able to engage with the proposed independent redress system, to approach the Church's National Office for Professional Standards" said Mullin.

However, some survivors say it would be better if the government got involved in the process.

In testimony given earlier in the year to the Royal Commission, a number of church organisations said they offered survivors an apology, an ex gratia payment based on the level of abuse, and the offer of counselling.

Testimony to the Royal Commission showed the response between various religious organisations inside the Catholic Church was not even.

Different church and faith-based groups, eg Anglican, Brethren, Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses and the Salvation Army, also responded differently from each other.

Abuse survivor Steve Goodlass said the government had failed to honour the intent of the commission's interim payment recommendation.

"It's disturbing because the government has just redefined stuff in there and completely ostracised one group or has discriminated against faith-based survivors," he said.

"Even people in the state systems, they're getting shafted again. Why hold a commission when you're just going to exclude people and ignore key principles? It's just awful," he said.

Unhappy with how the Bishops National Office for Professional Standards (NOPS) has settled abuse cases, survivor group SNAP focussed solely on the Catholic Church's response saying it wants a more immediate reply from the Catholic Church.

It also wants the bishops to set up an independent committee with input from SNAP Aotearoa and its survivor members.

When NOPS was established, it was a body of "second instance", a place where survivors could appeal if they thought a Catholic Church body had not properly handled their case.

It was headed by retired Police Commissioner John Jamieson.

Some years later, under the leadership of former priest and social worker Mr Bill Kilgallon, NOPS became the body of "first instance" for most Catholic religious groups.

NOPS continues to operate as a place of first instance under the current director, former lawyer Virginia Noonan.

Sources

• RNZ
• Supplied

The Royal Commission Forum says the College colluded and was complicit in the abuse of children at the unit, which was run by psychiatrist, Dr Selwyn Leeks.

Children in the unit were subjected to many forms of abuse, including the use of electroconvulsive therapy and drugs as a punishment.

Forum spokesperson Dr Oliver Sutherland said the college knew what was going on because he spoke to its annual meeting about it in 1977.

He said the college had neglected to raise concerns about the abuse despite being aware of it for the last 50 years. Read more

The Commission is encouraging survivors to come forward, as is St John of God survivor, Darryl Smith.

Smith says his traumatic story with St John of God began at age 7.

"It started when Brother Keane, a school teacher at Marylands, kept me back in class.

"Older boys and some staff came along too", said Smith.

He told CathNews that the abuse was not carried out by just one brother.

Br Roger (Moloney), at the time, head of the Order in New Zealand, called him to his office, seemingly to take a call from his grandmother.

Smith said there was no phone call from his grandmother, there was no phone call at all but he was very seriously abused.

Smith says he does not understand how the Order moved these men around knowing for years what they were doing. He says he does not accept the Order's claims it was the done thing at the time.

"What a load of rubbish", he said. "The done thing, the Christian thing is to protect a child", he told CathNews.

Later in the 1970's Smith moved to Australia where he was again in the care of the St John of God brothers, and again he was very seriously abused.

"How's that, abused by the same brothers both sides of the Tasman", said Smith wryly.

Smith told CathNews that the serious abuse conducted by the St John of brothers began during the formative time in his life, so much so, that for many years he did not know what was right or wrong.

"Between 1984 to 2009 I spent a lifetime in and out of Prison because of the evil I suffered", he said.

However, in 2010 his life started to change and he began the long road of healing.

"I started doing artwork to heal myself and learnt from that.

"At a comparatively late stage of life, I began to understand the difference between right and wrong".

In 2012 he held his first art exhibition entitled "My New Journey".

Darryl Smith, Artist

Now the author of several books, Smith's first book is the story of his shattered life at the hands of the St John of God brothers.

Smith is the New Zealand Ambassador for the National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse, a role he takes seriously.

While he is writing a report on the Hospitaller Order of St John of God in New Zealand to be presented to the Royal Commission and is appearing in front of the Royal Commission at the February hearing, he also asks that other survivors consider joining him.

Smith's encouragement is echoed by General manager of investigations for the Royal Commission, Tom Powell.

"We want to hear from as many survivors as possible, so we have a comprehensive picture as to what happened at these organisations."

Ken Clearwater, a founding trustee of Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse told Stuff that said survivors carry shame, disgust and guilt, and are often labelled liars, so he takes his hat off to anyone brave enough to share their story.

Powell told Suff that the commission had wellbeing wraparound support for anyone who wanted to share their experiences, but he recognised how difficult it was.

Catherine Fyfe, chair of Te Ropu Tautoko - the group coordinating Catholic engagement with the Royal Commission - says: Tautoko has "been working with the Royal Commission to ensure that our response has been as timely and comprehensive as possible, to honour those harmed at Marylands."

Source

• Stuff
• Scoop
• Stuff
• Stuff​

According to the ODT, the South and Dunedin in particular are considered one of the country's epicentres for child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

There was no mention or comment about the Presbyterian, Anglican and other Christian churches.

The Survivors Network told the ODT that the Commission is failing to meet its obligations.

Network spokesman Dr Murray Heasley (pictured) said it was ‘‘astonishing'' Dunedin would not host hearings.

‘‘It is a massive dereliction of duty and a repulsive slap in the face for all of the victim-survivors who reported thinking they would be listened to, validated and respected.

‘‘It seems the victims of the south are not considered as worthy of healing and redress as their brothers and sisters in the north.''

He compared Dunedin to Ballarat, Australia, where a similar church abuse scandal was uncovered.

It served as a case study for the Australian equivalent of the commission, one of 57 case studies it produced.

‘‘Our Abuse in Care Royal Commission, by comparison, has produced exactly zero case studies.

"Allow me to repeat that. Zero. None", said Heasley.

‘‘The case studies were not simple victim-survivor statements added as appendices but major royal commission involvement at every level in situ to make the whole process accessible to the targeted community, not limited to Auckland,'' he said.

However, the Royal Commission says it has engaged with many Dunedin survivors and is committed to investigating their claims. Commission chair Judge Coral Shaw said it was an inquiry for all of Aotearoa, including the people of Otepoti.

‘‘The inquiry's investigations span the country and participation is not limited to where someone lives — all people in this country are able to share their experiences with our investigation teams.

‘‘We want to reassure Dunedin-based survivors of abuse in the care of the Catholic Church (whether currently in Dunedin or living elsewhere) — and other survivors around the country — that you are important to the inquiry.''

Shaw told the ODT all survivors from all parts of the country can give evidence at the Auckland hearings.

She said the Commission funds flights and accommodation for survivors and a support person and that financial assistance is also given to survivors required to attend.

Source ODT

Ministers removed the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care's ability to investigate more recent cases in April to save cash and time.

These money-saving measures will result in the government being handed an incomplete report that overlooks more than two decades of abuse. Then a second Royal Commission into abuse in care will be needed, Becroft told the government in a letter.

As an example of why he is asking for the abuse inquiry to be widened, his letter references a recent video published by Newsroom. The video shows a young person being tackled, restrained and held in a headlock by Oranga Tamariki staff at a care and protection unit in Christchurch.

An investigation into the incident has been launched. Staff have been stood down and the residence temporarily closed.

"We still hear regularly of children in state care talking about abuse. It's a live and an ongoing issue and we don't want the job only three-quarters done," Becroft says.

The Commission estimates up to 57,000 children and adults have been abused in care since 1999.

In contrast to Becroft's analysis, Internal Affairs Minister Jan Tinetti insists the Commission has the discretion to look at modern cases, just not investigate them.

"There's been quite a bit of confusion about that," she admits.

She says the government has removed the Commission's ability "to look at a systemic investigation ... going into each current care setting and having a systemic investigation."

The Commission can still hear from individuals and they can still make recommendations about current care settings, Tinetti says.

Becroft thinks some people abused since 2000 will believe their experiences don't matter because of the government's decision.

"I think it's all too easy for us as adults to sort of say historic allegations are more significant. Actually we all stand condemned I think, me included, if we don't commit ourselves to hearing now what's also going on. I think that's so crucial."

Sonja Cooper, a lawyer representing more than a thousand abuse survivors, shared Becroft's concerns.

"It is cutting it off at its knees and, of course, there will be calls for another Royal Commission to be set up to do the job of looking at what's going on now ... It's already clear from those of us that work in this area that actually their current model is a complete and utter failure."

Tinetti said the Government will not reverse the changes.

It's parameters have always been for the historic abuse state and faith-based from institutions from 1950 to 1999 - not for current care settings, she says.

These are covered by reviews into modern care providers. Anyone can make a complaint about the treatment of a child or person in care by contacting the Children's Commissioner, the Ombudsman or the police, Tinetti says.

Commission chair Judge Coral Shaw confirms the Commission can consider contemporary issues and experiences so recommendations can be made to avoid future abuse."

Source

• Stuff
• Image: Stuff

The Royal Commission into Abuse in Care should recommend the government establish such an agency they say.

While the Anglican Church told the Royal Commission it is open to the idea, its bishop of Christchurch Peter Carrell (pictured) says he has reservations.

In his opinion, an independent redress agency could be too unwieldy because of the number of churches in this country.

He wants redress left to individual churches, although someone independent could have the final say if required, he suggests.

"I wonder if it would be helpful to have a government-appointed Ombudsman, or similar title, to be ... an appeal person or office so if someone engaging with the life of the church does end up not having a satisfactory experience, they feel they can go somewhere that is beyond the control of the church."

Carrell says he is concerned about an independent body covering so many potential cases, reminding the Commissioners that the church in New Zealand is big and not all are well structured.

These are "not only the Salvation Army, Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches ...[or] other mainstream denominations so called, like the Presbyterians and Methodists, there are literally thousands of churches ..." he says.

"A concern I have is an independent body could mean a person complains and then there's quite a delay in process."

"I believe what we have set up for the Anglican Church in Aotearoa-New Zealand is a process that will be efficient in responding to complaints and timely in dealing with them."

Carrell says if a national redress scheme were established it would need oversight.

The scheme would be focusing on 70 years of outstanding complaints, plus complaints that have not been well addressed or the redress was unsatisfactory. The independently overseen process would help to set things to right, he says.

The Anglican Church finished giving its evidence on redress to the Royal Commission yesterday. The Catholic Church is next to come before the Commission.

Source

• TVNZ
• Image: Anglican Life

The comment came in a statement from Catholic Bishops and religious leaders on the morning of the first day of the Royal Commission into abuse in faith-based care.

"The bishops and congregational leaders asked to be included in the work of the Royal Commission," says Cardinal John Dew.

"They are committed to working with it, for events of the past to be examined transparently and openly, and to implement the Commission's eventual recommendations. We acknowledge the harm caused to many and express our profound sorrow."

Sister Margaret Anne Mills, president of the religious Congregational Leaders' Conference of Aotearoa New Zealand (CLCANZ), praised the courage of abuse survivors who have come forward to share their experiences.

CLCANZ represents 43 Catholic religious entities on Te Ropu Tautoko, a Catholic Church agency formed to co-ordinate and manage cooperation between the Royal Commission and the Catholic Church.

"We will be listening very carefully to what survivors have to say, reflecting on their evidence and learning from their experiences," Mills says.

The Royal Commission's first faith-based redress hearings began yesterday.

Last week an application supported by the Anglican Church and Salvation Army, the Catholic Church sought non-publication orders about the accused.

The Church says the application was made because there had not been enough time to contact those who would be named, or the families of the deceased.

It also raised concerns of natural justice for those deceased.

At a procedural hearing on that and other applications, which included those accused of abuse and those helping to cover it up, lawyer Sally McKechnie told chair Judge Coral Shaw the church was not seeking to hide evidence.

"It is purely a question of whether the name is publicly used now," she says.

Some of the people would be named publicly for the first time, McKechnie says.

The delay would give their families more time to process the accusations.

In a decision released Thursday, Shaw declined all but one of the Church's applications.

Dr Murray Heasley, spokesman for the Network of Survivors of Abuse in Faith-based Institutions and their Supporters, told the NZ Herald they were pleased with the outcome.

The Royal Commission's faith-based redress hearings will hear evidence first of all from abuse survivors who were in care of the Catholic Church, Anglican Church and the Salvation Army.

The Royal Commission says these hearings "will investigate the adequacy of the redress processes of the Catholic Church, Anglican Church and the Salvation Army and what needs to be done to support people who have been abused or neglected in faith-based institutions."

However, these hearings "will not examine the merits of any individual claims, nor resolve disputed factual issues relating to those claims."

Source

• New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference
• NZ Herald
• Image: TVNZ