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RNZ News
3 days ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Government to fund one-off national day of reflection for survivors of abuse in care
author:ellen_o'dwyer] Erica Stanford. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The government has confirmed a one-off national day of reflection for survivors of abuse in care will take place on Wednesday, 12 November, 2025. Lead Coordination Minister for the government's response Erica Stanford said a $1 million fund had been set up for survivor-led groups to apply to hold local or regional events to mark the day. But a survivor says the day felt like "symbolic lip service" with many survivors still waiting for justice or fair redress. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon promised a National Remembrance Day in his apology to survivors in Parliament last year. A year on from the apology, Stanford said the day aimed to acknowledge survivors of abuse in care, raise awareness about a part of New Zealand's history, and remind people of government progress in responding to the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. The final report from the Royal Commission found abuse was rife in state and faith-based care settings over decades, and the state failed to respond to signs of systemic abuse and neglect. The Commission made 138 reccommendations to the government to right past wrongs, and prevent abuse from occurring again. Stanford said survivors had indicated they would like to mark the one-off day of reflection in their own way - the day would consist of community-led events and activities, as well as activities organised by government agencies that demonstrated "progress, accountability and transparency". "Survivors have indicated they would like to mark the day in their own way and their preference is for survivor-focused groups and organisations to hold local, regional or national events." Up to $10,000 would be available for local events and up to $25,000 for regional events, and applications were open until 31 August. At the time, Luxon said the day would "provide us with an opportunity to stop and reflect on what you endured and ensure we are doing all we can to prevent future abuse". But survivor Tu Chapman, who is the spokesperson for Tikanga-based survivor movement He Kura Morehu, said many were expecting the national day of remembrance to be an enduring event, rather than a one-off day. "It's a little bit of a joke to be honest, one day doesn't acknowledge the decades of abuse, the decades of violence and harm that continues to plague survivors today, and impact us today." Tu Chapman is the spokesperson for Tikanga-based survivor movement He Kura Morehu. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly Chapman said the day felt like lip service when many survivors were still waiting for justice or fair redress. The announcement earlier this year from the government that no public servant would be held accountable for abuse against survivors meant justice had not been delivered, Chapman said. A lack of legislative change designed to prevent abuse in care from happening again was also unjust, Chapman said. Survivor groups applying for the fund for the day of reflection must have legal entity status to apply. Chapman said that would mean some groups would miss out on holding events, because with only four months to apply, there was limited time to set up a legal and governance structure and meet the criteria for funding from a government agency. That would impose barriers on many survivor groups, Chapman said. "We will miss out and other groups will miss out, because the rules aren't realistic for survivor groups." Chapman also questioned whether the $1m was coming out of $774m set aside for abuse in care redress, or another source of funding. The government earlier this year committed $774 million on its redress system, increasing average payments from about $19,000 to $30,000, and opening up an option to top up previously settled claims by up to 50 percent. But it did not follow through on a pledge made on the national day of apology to set up an entirely new redress and compensation scheme, recommended by the Royal Commission of Inquiry and survivors. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- NZ Herald
Gloriavale leader Howard Temple stands trial in Greymouth District Court historic sexual abuse allegations
Several alleged victims and police are expected to give evidence over the coming days. Applications to film in court were denied by Judge Neave, who said he did not want proceedings 'turning into a circus'. The high-profile case and Temple's charges follow a three-year police investigation into the 600-strong Gloriavale community. A total of 24 various charges of indecent assault and doing an indecent act against girls under 12 years, girls aged 12 to 16 years, and others over 16 years have been laid by the Crown. The alleged offending dates back to 1998, with the most recent in 2022. Temple was named over the alleged offending in August 2023. Prior to that, the nature of the charges had been suppressed. This morning, standing in the dock, aided by a communications assistant due to his hearing difficulties, Temple pleaded not guilty to all charges. Charges include hugging young females from behind, placing an arm around their waist, rubbing and touching their legs, backs, inner thighs, and on some occasions touching their breasts and bottoms, as well as kissing the neck of one young girl. The alleged indecent acts are claimed to have occurred in Gloriavale's communal dining area at meal times, in the kitchen, and in one instance, in the men's bathroom. Crown prosecutor Kerry White said it was alleged that while the complainants would stand close to Temple to serve drinks and meals in the dining area, he would take the opportunity to touch their bodies. As the girls got older, they would work in the communal kitchen. The Crown alleges the conduct spanned 25 years. Temple's lawyer Michael Vesty said leaders were involved in the personal, spiritual and emotional lives of those living in the community. Expressions of hugs, an arm around the waist or comments of care were common and often encouraged as 'part of the pastoral dynamic'. Temple denied any of the alleged conduct was indecent. 'He had no sexual motivation. He regrets and is saddened that this is how they now consider his actions,' Vesty said. He said Temple accepted he had shown affection such as hugs, which were often reciprocated. 'They were gestures of gratitude and support which were acceptable in the conduct of day-to-day life in the community.' American-born Temple, the successor to the late Hopeful Christian, who founded the Gloriavale Christian Community in North Canterbury before shifting it to the West Coast in the late 1990s, has lived in the reclusive community for over 40 years. In January, Temple made a public apology on behalf of the Gloriavale church to the community's many victims for any historic abuse suffered. It came after the 2024 Royal Commission of Inquiry into historic Abuse in Care requested Gloriavale apologise to its members. He said the organisation acknowledged that abuse happened within its community between 1950 and 1999. 'To the people of Gloriavale and those who were part of the community that experienced this abuse while among us, we write to you with profound sorrow, acknowledging the pain and suffering that has been experienced by victims and families while within our church group.' - Greymouth Star
Techday NZ
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Techday NZ
NZ government agencies urged to adopt AI to fix records gap
A report from New Zealand's Chief Archivist has found significant non-compliance among government agencies with the Public Records Act 2005. The 2023/24 Annual Report, issued by Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga (Archives New Zealand), indicates that a substantial majority of government agencies are struggling to meet statutory requirements for recordkeeping. According to the report, two-thirds of surveyed agencies are categorised at early stages of maturity with only seven agencies achieving compliance levels of 50 percent or above. The report draws attention to enduring challenges such as reliance on manual processes, inadequate visibility of information, and insufficient integration between digital systems. These issues are exacerbated by a decrease in information governance capability, with the number of records team personnel falling by more than 15 percent over the last two years. Rachael Greaves, Chief Executive Officer at Castlepoint Systems, commented that the report data highlights systemic problems that have yet to be addressed. "Agencies are expected to meet increasing regulatory and ethical obligations, but are often left without the tools or resources to do so effectively. Automation is now essential to reduce risk, protect citizens, and uphold trust." The consequences of inadequate recordkeeping have been most pronounced for vulnerable groups, particularly those in State and faith-based care. The Annual Report states that these failings are a core concern in the ongoing Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, cautioning that recordkeeping gaps can impede efforts for redress and exacerbate harm for affected individuals. In response to these challenges, some New Zealand government agencies have turned to automated tools with the aim of boosting information transparency and meeting compliance obligations without increasing workloads. Central and regional agencies are reportedly implementing AI-based solutions to classify and manage records across disparate systems, which is contributing to more efficient and accountable public service operations. These emerging tools, including Castlepoint's AI platform, are in accordance with Archives New Zealand's published AI guidance and aid compliance with regulatory requirements such as the Temporary Care Records Protection Instruction. They are also being deployed to identify and administer sensitive records, including those concerning iwi, hapū, marae, and historic abuse in care. Castlepoint's technology, which carries Tier 2 information security endorsement from the New Zealand Government and ISO 27001 certification, is being used to integrate compliance processes into agencies' everyday operations, reducing the reliance on resource-heavy, standalone efforts. Greaves emphasised that the need for responsible information management goes beyond public agencies. "Any organisation that handles sensitive or regulated information needs to think seriously about how they manage and preserve records. The longer the gaps persist, the greater the risk of harm." The report signals a growing call within New Zealand's public sector for responsible adoption of automation and AI to address compliance weaknesses and safeguard public trust.
Scoop
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Abuse In Care Survivors Campaign Wins Global Gold Award In London
Press Release – Stuff Abuse in Care – Shattering The Shadows, a Stuff Group content series directed by the survivor advisory group of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, won best Political Programme over entries from international organisations such as … A groundbreaking content series telling the stories of survivors of one of the country's most shameful periods has been awarded a Gold award at the global Native Advertising Awards in London. Abuse in Care – Shattering The Shadows, a Stuff Group content series directed by the survivor advisory group of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, won best Political Programme over entries from international organisations such as the EU. The campaign told the stories of just six of the estimated 200,000 children and young people who were abused while in the care of State and faith-based organisations between 1950 and 1999. With a focus on healing and hope, these heartwrenching accounts of lives devastated by abuse were created and curated by Stuff's Commercial Content team, led by Content Director Simon Smith. Tu Chapman, one of the Survivor Advisory Group Experts said the award was a wonderful acknowledgement of what was a very powerful content series. 'Our (survivors) fight for justice continues,' she said. 'Thank you to Stuff for elevating our voices.' Stuff Group's Commercial Content team also won two bronze awards on the night, for an innovative campaign for Triton Hearing, Get Amongst It, which prompted Kiwis to experience how loss feels through gamification and other channels, including print. Smith, who was in London to receive the awards, said the Shattering the Shadows acknowledgement was particularly poignant. 'We spend our days creating content that moves and engages our large audiences at Stuff and being able to do this for those who spoke out at the Royal Commission of Inquiry was very special,' he said. 'We strive always to create campaigns that resonate through storytelling in all its forms. Sometimes it is the beauty of carefully crafted words and images. Sometimes it is brand-new digital ways to connect. All of this was awarded at the Native Advertising Awards this year, among some of the largest and best media brands in the world.' About Stuff Group Proudly independent and New Zealand-owned, Stuff connects with around 3.4 million Kiwis every month across its major businesses, delivering quality news, content and experiences that help make Aotearoa a better place. Stuff Digital has unrivalled reach across the nation through number one news website and homegrown social network Neighbourly. Stuff Masthead Publishing connects with audiences through subscriber-led digital and printed metropolitan, regional and community publications, as well as a range of much-loved consumer magazines. Stuff Brand Connections arms advertisers and partners with a comprehensive range of cross-media advertising and Stuff Events solutions. Find out more at
Scoop
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Abuse In Care Survivors Campaign Wins Global Gold Award In London
Press Release – Stuff Abuse in Care – Shattering The Shadows, a Stuff Group content series directed by the survivor advisory group of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, won best Political Programme over entries from international organisations such as … A groundbreaking content series telling the stories of survivors of one of the country's most shameful periods has been awarded a Gold award at the global Native Advertising Awards in London. Abuse in Care – Shattering The Shadows, a Stuff Group content series directed by the survivor advisory group of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, won best Political Programme over entries from international organisations such as the EU. The campaign told the stories of just six of the estimated 200,000 children and young people who were abused while in the care of State and faith-based organisations between 1950 and 1999. With a focus on healing and hope, these heartwrenching accounts of lives devastated by abuse were created and curated by Stuff's Commercial Content team, led by Content Director Simon Smith. Tu Chapman, one of the Survivor Advisory Group Experts said the award was a wonderful acknowledgement of what was a very powerful content series. 'Our (survivors) fight for justice continues,' she said. 'Thank you to Stuff for elevating our voices.' Stuff Group's Commercial Content team also won two bronze awards on the night, for an innovative campaign for Triton Hearing, Get Amongst It, which prompted Kiwis to experience how loss feels through gamification and other channels, including print. Smith, who was in London to receive the awards, said the Shattering the Shadows acknowledgement was particularly poignant. 'We spend our days creating content that moves and engages our large audiences at Stuff and being able to do this for those who spoke out at the Royal Commission of Inquiry was very special,' he said. 'We strive always to create campaigns that resonate through storytelling in all its forms. Sometimes it is the beauty of carefully crafted words and images. Sometimes it is brand-new digital ways to connect. All of this was awarded at the Native Advertising Awards this year, among some of the largest and best media brands in the world.' About Stuff Group Proudly independent and New Zealand-owned, Stuff connects with around 3.4 million Kiwis every month across its major businesses, delivering quality news, content and experiences that help make Aotearoa a better place. Stuff Digital has unrivalled reach across the nation through number one news website and homegrown social network Neighbourly. Stuff Masthead Publishing connects with audiences through subscriber-led digital and printed metropolitan, regional and community publications, as well as a range of much-loved consumer magazines. Stuff Brand Connections arms advertisers and partners with a comprehensive range of cross-media advertising and Stuff Events solutions. Find out more at
