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A quarter of a million New Zealanders held in state care suffered some form of abuse, a landmark inquiry has found,
with the true number believed to be higher.The royal commission into abuse in state care is investigating
historic abuse of children, young adults and vulnerable adults by state-run institutions between 1950 and 1999, as well as in affiliated religious institutions, such as church-run orphanages. It is the largest and most complex royal commission ever undertaken in New Zealand, and has been plagued by issues since its inception, including the resignation of its chair, Sir Anand Satyanand, in its early days.
On Wednesday the commission released its interim report, which found that up to 250,000 people suffered abuse during the time period investigated.
A total of 655,000 passed through the doors of orphanages, homes for people with disabilities and mental health institutions among others over the same time period.
So far, 1,900 survivors of abuse have contacted the commission, and they expect thousands more to do so, describing the extent of abuse in state care as "significant", and more than originally thought.
Those most frequently abused by the state were society's "most disadvantaged or marginalised segments of the community ... particularly from Māori whanau [family], Pacific families, children from impoverished backgrounds, disabled people and women and girls".
Comment: The reports and evidence of widespread fraud, particularly in the battleground states, has been coming in an avalanche of data and analysis over the past few weeks: