Alright, grab your tea (or, like, a strong coffee), because New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, just made a major apology that’s been a long, long time coming. On November 12, 2024, Luxon stood up in Parliament and delivered what he called a “sincere apology” to people who suffered decades of abuse in New Zealand’s state-run and faith-based care institutions. Picture it: heartfelt apologies, regrets, and finally some acknowledgment that the government, churches, and other institutions let thousands of kids and vulnerable adults down in the worst way.
Let’s rewind a bit. This apology didn’t just pop up out of nowhere—it’s the result of years of pressure from survivors and a massive investigation called the Royal Commission of Inquiry, which found that, since the 1950s, children and adults in New Zealand institutions faced physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, their cries for help were mostly ignored. The investigation showed these institutions—many religious—just let the abuse happen, sometimes actively covering it up.
Here’s the Prime Minister’s big quote: “The government failed you, and it failed the people you loved.” So Luxon’s basically admitting they all dropped the ball in a serious way, which is, like, a big deal for these survivors.
But here’s the twist: survivors aren’t exactly throwing a parade over it. Judith Aitken, a long-time advocate for survivors, called the apology “a small step towards justice,” but let’s be real—she thinks it’s a little “too little, too late.” Aitken said survivors need more than just words. They’re looking for action, like real compensation and ongoing support to help them recover from everything they went through.
And it wasn’t just Aitken who felt that way. David R. Smith, another survivor, said the apology felt “hollow without a commitment to substantial reparations.” Basically, it’s like, “Thanks for the apology, but where’s the actual support?”
One survivor, Helen Brown, who spent her childhood in a state-run orphanage and endured abuse there, said she was glad New Zealand was finally saying sorry but that it’s “only a start.” Helen and other survivors want this apology backed up with real changes, like better mental health services and reforms to make sure these institutions can never turn a blind eye to abuse again.
The survivors have a point, though, right? Like, an apology without real change might feel a bit performative. As part of the apology, they’re calling for legal reforms to keep these kinds of abuses from happening again, and they’re hoping New Zealand will support them with the services and recognition they need to heal.
This moment puts New Zealand in line with other countries—like Australia and Canada—that have faced similar reckonings. But for many, including Brown, it’s about seeing how New Zealand will follow through. So while Luxon’s speech was powerful and symbolic, it sounds like we’ll be keeping an eye on whether the government steps up with real support for these survivors.
XOXO,
Valley Girl News
p.s. image in AI-generated
