Erica Stanford. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The government has confirmed a one-off national day of reflection for survivors of abuse in care will take place on Wednesday, 12 November, 2025.
Lead Coordination Minister for the government's response Erica Stanford said a $1 million fund had been set up for survivor-led groups to apply to hold local or regional events to mark the day.
But a survivor says the day felt like "symbolic lip service" with many survivors still waiting for justice or fair redress.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon promised a National Remembrance Day in his apology to survivors in Parliament last year.
A year on from the apology, Stanford said the day aimed to acknowledge survivors of abuse in care, raise awareness about a part of New Zealand's history, and remind people of government progress in responding to the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.
The final report from the Royal Commission found abuse was rife in state and faith-based care settings over decades, and the state failed to respond to signs of systemic abuse and neglect. The Commission made 138 reccommendations to the government to right past wrongs, and prevent abuse from occurring again.
Stanford said survivors had indicated they would like to mark the one-off day of reflection in their own way - the day would consist of community-led events and activities, as well as activities organised by government agencies that demonstrated "progress, accountability and transparency".
"Survivors have indicated they would like to mark the day in their own way and their preference is for survivor-focused groups and organisations to hold local, regional or national events."
Up to $10,000 would be available for local events and up to $25,000 for regional events, and applications were open until 31 August.
At the time, Luxon said the day would "provide us with an opportunity to stop and reflect on what you endured and ensure we are doing all we can to prevent future abuse".
But survivor Tu Chapman, who is the spokesperson for Tikanga-based survivor movement He Kura Morehu, said many were expecting the national day of remembrance to be an enduring event, rather than a one-off day.
"It's a little bit of a joke to be honest, one day doesn't acknowledge the decades of abuse, the decades of violence and harm that continues to plague survivors today, and impact us today."
Tu Chapman is the spokesperson for Tikanga-based survivor movement He Kura Morehu. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Chapman said the day felt like lip service when many survivors were still waiting for justice or fair redress.
The announcement earlier this year from the government that no public servant would be held accountable for abuse against survivors meant justice had not been delivered, Chapman said.
A lack of legislative change designed to prevent abuse in care from happening again was also unjust, Chapman said.
Survivor groups applying for the fund for the day of reflection must have legal entity status to apply.
Chapman said that would mean some groups would miss out on holding events, because with only four months to apply, there was limited time to set up a legal and governance structure and meet the criteria for funding from a government agency.
That would impose barriers on many survivor groups, Chapman said.
"We will miss out and other groups will miss out, because the rules aren't realistic for survivor groups."
Chapman also questioned whether the $1m was coming out of $774m set aside for abuse in care redress, or another source of funding.
The government earlier this year committed $774 million on its redress system, increasing average payments from about $19,000 to $30,000, and opening up an option to top up previously settled claims by up to 50 percent.
But it did not follow through on a pledge made on the national day of apology to set up an entirely new redress and compensation scheme, recommended by the Royal Commission of Inquiry and survivors.
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