August 22, 2022
Abuse apologies meaningless without systemic change
A survivor of abuse in state care, says the current Royal Commission of enquiry is a theatrical circus that will only result in new generations of victims.
The Royal Commission estimates nearly 40 percent of the 655 thousand young people in care between 1950 and 2019, were abused.
Social worker Paora Crawford-Moyle was one of them – and says she watch in disgust last week as witnesses from state agency witnesses have offered no real solutions – just sorrow for past hurt and harm.
“You know, what are you apologising for? Don’t apologise to us if you’re not apologising for what it is you’re sorry for. We’re not seeing any systemic change right now. What we are seeing is an oversight bill of Oranga Tamariki that buries any kind of culpability or responsibility,” she says.
She says nothing will change if state agencies including Oranga Tamariki but every other state agency are allowed to monitor themselves.
The hearing continues this week.