Lake Alice patients get formal Govt apology

The Government has formally apologised to 95 former patients of the Lake Alice Hospital child and adolescent unit for the abuse they suffered at the mental institution in the 1970s.

The claimants, who last month received about $6.5 million in compensation for the torture and abuse, have begun receiving letters signed by Prime Minister Helen Clark and Health Minister Annette King.

But although the claimants have received recognition, compensation and an apology, punishment for those responsible still remains outstanding.

Helen Clark and Mrs King say in the letter that the Government is determined to acknowledge the past wrongs at the institution - and, "We are apologising to all those who were mistreated".

The letter and the payout represent the fruition of years of struggle by former patients, who filed papers in the High Court in April 1999 saying they were tortured and sexually abused at the hospital, near Marton, between 1972 and 1977.

The horrors of the unit were revealed in the report of retired High Court judge Sir Rodney Gallen, who was given the job of dividing up the compensation among the claimants.

His report revealed horrific allegations of electroconvulsive therapy being used to punish children, children being locked away with insane adult patients, sexual abuse and injections of the drug paraldehyde, which causes extreme localised pain.

One claimant welcomed the letter of apology but said the matter would never be fully settled until Dr Selwyn Leeks, who headed the unit in the 1970s, faced criminal charges.

"The others could say that they did what they were told.

"He was the man in charge."

However, another claimant said the letters appeared to be form letters and that even the signatures had been laser printed.

"You would think the politicians could have spared the time to write personal apologies for the Lake Alice victims, given the amount of money the Government has paid out." He was dismayed that no charges had been laid.

"Meanwhile, Dr Leeks is still allowed to practise in Australia, and his sidekicks are no doubt kicking back somewhere with pints of ale in hand, secure in the knowledge that they will not be facing criminal charges."

Christchurch lawyer Grant Cameron, who represented the claimants, said he expected to meet representatives of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists in the next two weeks.

The college has called on the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria to investigate Dr Leeks, who now lives and works in Melbourne. Dr Leeks is no longer registered as a doctor in New Zealand.

Mr Cameron said he had had a good response from claimants giving him authority to release their files to the college.

He was also putting together a file to send to the New Zealand police to see if criminal charges could be laid against Dr Leeks or other staff at the unit.

The commander of Central Districts police, Superintendent Mark Lammas, said yesterday that he had not yet received any complaints from former child patients.

The Government has also called on other people who were at the unit but not part of the compensation deal to approach the Ministry of Health to have any claim against the unit settled.

Dr Leeks could not be contacted for comment.

- NZPA