News that the National Party killed off an important investigation into the way the State abused people is just despicable…
Child abuse report ‘shut down’
A former Human Rights Commissioner is accusing the government of killing off a critical report on the way it handled hundreds of cases of children abused in state care.
The report was written when Ros Noonan was Chief Human Rights Commissioner in 2011.
It was never published because, she says, the Attorney General Chris Finlayson did not like its recommendations.
Many children in state care between the 1950s and 1980s suffered abuse and neglect that scarred them for life.
In 2009 the UN Committee Against Torture raised concerns about how New Zealand handled historic abuse claims. In 2011 the Human Rights Commission launched a review.
Ms Noonan said the draft report recommended an independent inquiry be set up. She did not think the Ministry for Social Development was impartial enough to handle victim’s complaints.
Attorney General Chris Finlayson replied in a letter that he disagreed and the ministry was fair and impartial.
Ms Noonan believed Mr Finlayson was motivated by fears an independent inquiry would expose the government to liability.
“My clear impression is that he was trying to shut down the inquiry and the report. I think, clearly, he was concerned there would be a public interest in there being an independent inquiry and the government didn’t want that.”
Ms Noonan, who is the director of the Human Rights Centre at Auckland University Law School, was angered by Mr Finlayson’s response – and that the report was not published.
“It’s infuriating and sort of puzzling. I can’t see, other than the cost of compensation, how New Zealand wouldn’t be better off if we knew what had happened, we were able as a society to apologise to those our system damaged and we could make sure we didn’t make the same mistakes in the future.”
…this is unbelievable, unjust and cruel! NZers abused by the state should get justice, yet here we have that very same State protecting those who did the abuse.
Who are the National Party protecting and how far up the chain of command did that abuse occur?
There needs to be an urgent review of this situation because the way National have tried to hide this report is simply not good enough no matter who you vote for.
Naztional at it again as they cull any national Government negative press and the useless crims at MSM are complying with the Naztional gagging plans, like a stool pigeon.
They are killing the big story latest biggie also of what is causing the earthquakes now swarming our coastal regions.
https://act.greenpeace.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1939&ea.campaign.id=58837&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=climate&utm_content=seismic+video
Sign the petition https://act.greenpeace.org/ea-action/action
Statoil is joining Chevron to blast our coastal regions and cause yet more destructive earthquakes ton us ball while Government and the insurance industry strangely sit quietly in the background as they destroy our Rail and roads and public and private property while wrecking our environment, economy and lives.
These are the last days of being run by criminals posing as Politicians.
When I was six years old and during my first month at school, a flea bitten little country school, I was given ‘ six of the best’ for pinching another kids pen. A heavy leather strap with used and I got three whacks on each of my outstretched hands. The strapper was a punk called Styles. Mr Styles, a big fungousie man with red hair. ( I met him again, ten years later when I wasn’t quite so vulnerable and we had an interesting conversation. )
I sometimes see six year old kids and think to myself. How, in the name of God, could a grown man whack a little kid in such a violent and tortuous manner. Of course, now that I’m all growed up, I’ve learned that there are viscous perverts out there that get off on hurting kids. They need to be found and kept away from greater society.
National and it’s supporters are sick fuckers. Generally and specifically. Otherwise? No National Party. And certainly not a National party that so doggedly remains in ‘ power’.
Hi Countryboy
It seems you and I could be of the same generation. Although I never got strapped at school, I do remember flinching every time one of my class mates (mainly boys) was a recipient of the end of a leather belt! I couldn’t look, but felt the pain at hearing each vicious stroke of the strap!
Being short and somewhat uncoordinated and clumsy (I still am), I was labeled ‘shorty’ or ‘the midget’ by one particular very loud bullying head male teacher. I was about to enter my teens at the time. At assembly and during his classes, he would make a point of humiliating those of us he took a disliking to. On one particular unpleasant occasion in class I remember very well, he asked that I reach up to a very high shelf to get some books. Due to my short stature, reaching the books was difficult and I couldn’t do as requested. I was ridiculed for not being able to accomplish the given task and called uncooperative, so was punished by having to stay in at lunchtime and afternoon recess, being made to stand in one place! I shouldn’t complain really, because other students received much harsher punishments than I ever did from the same sicko!
Looking back at your experience of being assaulted at school, as well as that of myself and many others during those years, I realize now what took place by some bullies disguised as teachers, was mental and physical abuse, something I’m sure they took great pleasure inflicting on vulnerable children! But what could we do at the time? Nothing, because to complain or put up a challenge, would invite more embarrassing name calling, pain and humiliation!
And this government is of the same mindset. Bully, humiliate, assault and condemn the vulnerable and weak, and in the process, turn a blind eye to the unsavoury facts!
I too Countryboy – in my Standard 1 year (as it was known then) I was strapped by my male teacher who was a sadist – he would put us kids in a stationery cupboard to the right of the blackboard for misbehaviour until the end of class and give us a strap on the hand at the end of class – for silly things like flicking paper off a ruler or chatting when we should not have been. One of my girlfriends had her hand swell right up and she was in real pain. Looking back he the teacher was probably a repressed sadist and surviver of the the war – probably had repressed memories and wasn’t coping very well, not that that was any excuse. The 1950’s must have some bleak memories for some kids.
Where are the other political parties on this?…Labour as the main Opposition party should be jumping up and down
Would only cost them more if in government, so they rather choose not to be seen and hears, same when it comes to social policy generally.
I tell you what, they are shutting down heaps, including stuff presented to the so called “watch dogs”, who are poodles in sheep’s clothing, without teeth.
Re MSD, and besides of their appalling conduct in relation to child abuse that occurred under their watch, there are other very serious issues with their whole conduct and “oversight” of matters, also affecting many ordinary people on benefits, especially with health and disability issues, facing ever tougher work testing:
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2016/08/16/senior-scientist-and-legal-experts-discredit-evidence-used-by-msd-and-dr-bratt-when-claiming-the-health-benefits-of-work/
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/designated-doctors-used-by-winz-msd-the-truth-about-them-post-upd-18-10-2016.pdf
http://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2013/12/28/designated-doctors-used-by-work-and-income-some-also-used-by-acc-the-truth-about-them/
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/mab-process-how-msd-discretely-changed-it-further-disadvantaging-clients-nzsjb-updated-20-09-16.pdf
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/the-medical-appeal-board-how-msd-and-winz-have-secretely-changed-the-process-disadvantaging-beneficiaries/
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/msd-dr-bratt-present-misleading-evidence-on-worklessness-and-health-publ-post-19-09-16.pdf
And the USELESS, compromised “watchdogs” without teeth:
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2016/09/05/the-new-zealand-ombudsman-underfunded-and-compromised-the-auditor-general-sees-no-need-for-action/
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2016/07/24/the-new-zealand-ombudsman-fairness-for-all-an-empty-slogan-for-some/
This is not just made up stuff, this is based on factual correspondence and what resulted from it.
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