Abuse in care survivor and expert calls for details of redress system before apology is given

A survivor and expert of abuse in care are urging the government to announce details of a redress system by the time a national apology is given in Parliament.

Minister Erica Stanford, the lead coordination minister for the government's response, announced this week payments would be made to Lake Alice survivors who had legal fees deducted.

But for others, questions remain unanswered about the scope of compensation that could be delivered.

Toni Jarvis was nine years old when he was taken out of residential care and put in an adult psychiatric institution near Dunedin - Cherry Farm.

"Welcome to a horror show. I was there on my own, wondering what I was doing there."

He was terrorised by other patients and was physically and sexually abused.

This continued for several years as he was sent to Hokio Beach School, Awatea Street Family Home, and Holdsworth School where he was consistently raped and abused.

He estimates he was raped 200 times at the Hokio Beach School alone.

Jarvis said he has received $38,000 from the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Health through separate claims processes.

He described that figure as an insult.

"Do they understand the psychological ramifications and mental health trauma that I've had to live all my life? That I've had to be treated for and still are today?

"Do they understand being sodomised continuously, repetitively?"

Jarvis said he's still fighting for just compensation. He has battled against his adoption records, saying he was not put into the care his birth mother requested, and that a family court ruling in 2003 affirmed this.

He wants to reapply if a new redress system is created, for that compensation and to reflect the effects of the abuse that he endured.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry found redress schemes for state and faith-based survivors in New Zealand had been ineffective and re-traumatising.

Commissioners recommended that a new independently-run redress scheme, open for all state and faith-based survivors, would be set up. They also recommended this be open to survivors who had previously settled claims.

Auckland university professor Stephen Winter said on average victims who apply through the Ministry of Social Development schemes have been paid on average about $21,000.

"Generally, the Royal Commission states this really clearly that processes have been protracted, very difficult and not providing payments that have been adequate.

"If we look at similar programmes overseas we see they are paying significantly - maybe four five times as much per survivor.

"So I think we can certainly hope to think that the resulting redress programme that is going to emerge from the work of the Royal Commission here, is going to provide a great deal more money for survivors."

Dr Winter said redress schemes in Australia, Canada and Scotland have paid out about $99,000, $110,000, and $108,000 (in New Zealand dollars) on average, per payment, respectively.

This week the minister in charge of the response, Erica Stanford, said the government would top up the compensation of a group of Lake Alice survivors who had their legal fees deducted from a 2001 settlement.

They would end up with a total of about $70,000 each.

Stanford also confirmed she would introduce an omnibus bill aimed at improving state care on the day of the apology.

Stanford said more details about torture victims would come later this year, but did not confirm if a new redress system for other survivors would be announced on the day of the apology.

"We are still working through hugely complex decisions, that all have to go through Cabinet. We are working as fast as we can, and some of those decisions have yet to be made before the announcement.

"So as I've said the Prime Minister will be able to make an update on the day of the apology."

Jarvis will be at Parliament, listening, hoping, the government delivers a just response.

"Let's hear what their words are, do they have meaning, are they hollow, is there action behind them, is there no politics?"

The national apology will be delivered at Parliament by the Prime Minister on 12 November.

Where to get help:

For male survivors -

Road Forward Trust, Wellington, contact Richard 0211181043

Better Blokes Auckland, 099902553

The Canterbury Men's Centre, 03 3776747

The Male Room, Nelson 035480403

Male Survivors, Waikato 07 8584112

Male Survivors, Otago 0211064598

For female survivors -

Help Wellington, 048016655

Help, Auckland 09 623 1296.

For urgent help: Safe To Talk 0800044334.

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