Reactions to New Zealand's abuse in care inquiry

By Lucy Craymer

WELLINGTON (Reuters) -A final report by New Zealand's Royal Commission of Inquiry into historic abuse of children in state and faith-based institutions has estimated that 200,000 were abused between 1950 and 2019.

Here are some initial reactions:

NEW ZEALAND CATHOLIC BISHOPS AND CONGREGATIONAL LEADERS CONFERENCES

"The Catholic bishops and congregational leaders in Aotearoa New Zealand have received a copy of the Inquiry's Final Report and will now read and review it carefully. As we have done throughout the length of the Inquiry, we will ensure that action follows our review of the Inquiry's findings.

We understand that within the community, some of us - including leaders in the Catholic Church - have a special role to play to ensure that the findings and recommendations of this significant Inquiry are not lost or confined to words in a report. We commit to that role."

ABUSE IN CARE ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY, CHAIR CORAL SHAW

"Our report exposes a national disgrace, one that lasted for over 50 years and continues to this day. The people who were taken into care were babies, they were young children, they were young people, they were adults who needed care. They were taken under the guise of being supported and protected but instead they were abused and harmed. This cannot be tolerated."

ABUSE IN CARE ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY, COMMISSIONER PAUL GIBSON

"We found the abuse and neglect was widespread, it was horrific, it happened in all the settings we looked at, all the institutions. It was pervasive. It was not caused just by individual perpetrators, it was systemic. Systems, people in high places, failed, weren't held accountable and it still goes on today. We have to make it stop."

NZ PRIME MINISTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON

"The state was supposed to care for you, to protect you, but instead, it subjected you to unimaginable, physical, emotional, mental and sexual abuse. This is a dark and sorrowful day in New Zealand's history as a society and as a state, we should have done better, and I am determined that we will do so."

NZ OPPOSITION AND LABOUR PARTY LEADER CHRIS HIPKINS

"What happened was unacceptable and remains a disgraceful part of our history. The consequences for survivors have been far reaching and intergenerational – affecting families and loved ones across decades. There is still so much more for us to do to ensure those who come into contact with state and faith-based agencies aren’t subject to abuse."

PETER LINEHAM, EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AT MASSEY UNIVERSITY

"Churches have got to develop systems that are suitably neutral. One of the problems is up to now if you had a complaint against an organisation, the only person you could really complain to was the head of that organisation and there are a lot of examples of the churches being very defensive and protecting their own, especially clergy."

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Michael Perry and Jacqueline Wong)