The Government’s rejection of a Royal Commission of Inquiry recommendation on how Kiwis abused in state and faith-based care should be compensated is an “insult”, but won’t stop him accepting a King’s Birthday Honour, a survivor says.
Chris Longhurst has been made a companion of the King’s Service Order for services to survivors of abuse in care after more than 20 years advocating for survivor compensation and recognition of abuse in faith-based institutions.
Hamilton man Tyrone Marks (Ngāti Raukawa) was also made a companion of the King’s Service Order for his advocacy for redress and recognition for survivors of the abuse and torture suffered by around 360 children and vulnerable adults at the Lake Alice Unit in the 1970s.
Longhurst, a survivor of clerical child sexual abuse and other kinds of abuse by Catholic priests and members of the clergy, said it would be disrespectful of the peer support work he was involved in to turn down the accolade.
The Napier-based Catholic theologian founded and leads the New Zealand chapter of global support group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).
“It’s a privilege to work for the wounded people of New Zealand, and it helps me. So if I’m going to be honoured for that, I accept.
“[And] the work SNAP does is honourable work. It’s not about me - the honour is for the work I’m doing. In order to promote the good work that this is, it would be disrespectful not to accept.”
But he remained disappointed in the Government’s decision not to follow the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions recommendation last year that a new entity be set up to handle the redress system for survivors.
The recommendation followed a six-year process that found 200,000 out of an estimated 655,000 New Zealanders in state or faith-based care between 1950 and 2019 were abused, and many more neglected – with Māori disproportionately affected and subjected to overt and targeted racism.
Erica Stanford announced this month the Government would invest $774 million in Budget 2025 to improve the redress system for survivors of abuse in state care, with increases to the average payment for new claims from $19,180 to $30,000, and top-ups for those who had already settled.
Stanford, the Minister in charge of the Government response to the Royal Commission’s report, said ministers had decided to focus on improving the current system – rather than introducing a new entity – to help survivors more quickly.
However, the improvements didn’t include decisions relating to faith-based institutions, which needed more consideration, she said, acknowledging this would be disappointing for survivors.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said setting up a new system for redress would slow payments and cost “a lot of money” while not guaranteeing better outcomes.
But Longhurst said the current system was failing survivors, with its complexity “causing more harm”.
“So why put more money into a system that’s not working? That money should be set aside for survivor compensation in individual cases. [The decision] is an insult … and it’s a direct affront to the Royal Commission to not even accept the very first recommendation.
“Together let’s hold the Government and church leaders to account to provide the redress they promised.”
Where to get help:
If it’s an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
If you’ve ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7: • Call 0800 044 334• Text 4334• Email support@safetotalk.nz• For more info or to web chat visit safetotalk.nz
Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list.
If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it’s not your fault.
Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.