Luxon Apologizes for Decades of Abuse in Care

An independent inquiry in New Zealand revealed that approximately 200,000 children and vulnerable adults experienced abuse in state and faith-based care over the past seven decades, with nearly one in three children in care between 1950 and 2019 affected. The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, which spoke to over 2,300 survivors, found that abuse included rape, electric shocks, forced labor, and physical violence, disproportionately affecting Māori and Pacific Islander communities. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described the findings as a 'dark and sorrowful day' and pledged a formal apology on November 12. The inquiry's report, which is New Zealand's largest and costliest to date, made 138 recommendations, including legislative changes and the establishment of a Ministry for Care. Compensation details remain undecided, although the financial toll is expected to be in the billions.