'It was horrific, heartbreaking, wrong': New Zealand PM offers historic apology to survivors of state abuse

New Zealand offered a rare national apology on Tuesday to the victims and families of hundreds of thousands of young people and adults who went through “unimaginable pain” within children’s homes and psychiatric hospitals.

This is historic in the case of people subjected to institutional physical and sexual abuse over the last 70 years.

The apology came after a public inquiry in July found some 200,000 children and vulnerable adults in state and faith-based care experienced some form of abuse from 1950 to 2019.

"It was horrific. It was heartbreaking. It was wrong. And it should never have happened," Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told survivors and their families at parliament in Wellington.

"Today I am apologising on behalf of the government to everyone who suffered abuse, harm and neglect while in care. I make this apology to all survivors on behalf of my own and previous governments."

Not only the plain apology, the New Zealand government will also initiate work on 28 recommendations from the inquiry and will provide its full response in early 2025, the prime minister said.

"I am sorry you were not believed when you came forward to report your abuse," Luxon said in an address delivered to parliament.

"But I hope that today, with this apology and the acknowledgement of your burden, it becomes a little lighter for some of you," the PM added.

Child, young people abused in New Zealand care

A July 2024 investigation found that at least 200,000 children, young people and vulnerable adults have been abused in New Zealand state and faith-based care.

It means almost one in three children in care from 1950 to 2019 suffered some form of abuse, including being subject to rape, electric shocks and forced labour, according to the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry.

Watch |New Zealand PM promises reform after inquiry finds 200,000 abused in care

Children were also sexually abused by church carers, mothers were forced to give up kids for adoption and troublesome patients were strapped to beds for seizure-inducing electroconvulsive therapy.

The publication of the commission's final report followed a six-year investigation into the experiences of nearly 3,000 people.

Many of those abused have come from disadvantaged or marginalised communities, including Māori and Pacific people, as well as those with disabilities.

(With inputs from agencies)