In Parliament today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon issued a formal apology to New Zealanders who suffered abuse in state and faith-based care and announced plans to revamp the redress system.
His apology acknowledged the pain of survivors, expressing regret for the government’s past failures to protect vulnerable people and for disregarding those who reported abuse, describing today as “a significant and sorrowful day.”
This apology follows the final report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse, which made 138 recommendations.
The government will invest $32 million to improve the current redress system, aiming for a more survivor-responsive process.
“So this funding will increase resources and help ensure the system is more responsive to your needs now. But I also want to assure you today that it is our intention to have a new single redress system operating next year,” says Luxon.
A National Remembrance Day will be held on November 12, 2025, to honour survivors and remember the abuse endured.
