The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry State Redress hearing resumes today in Auckland.

The hearing is being live-streamed here.

The hearing is open to media but closed to the public because of Covid social distancing restrictions.

Hearing location: Level 2, 414 Khyber Pass Road, Newmarket, Auckland 1023.

29 September

10:00am:

Gay Rowe for Paul Beale

Gay Rowe will give evidence as the sister of, and guardian for, Paul Beale.  Paul was born with an intellectual disability and was placed into Kimberley Hospital and, later, Parklands.  The latter was a residence funded by the Ministry of Health.  Gay will describe the abuse suffered by Paul at both facilities and the claims process with the Ministry of Health in relation to Parklands.

2:15pm:

Cooper Legal

Sonja Cooper and Amanda Hill will expand on the evidence relating to redress that they provided to the Inquiry at the Contextual Hearing in October/November 2019.  Their evidence will draw on the experience of the thousands of claimants they have represented over many years.  Topics covered will include legal and other barriers to successfully seeking redress in the court system; the redress processes of the Crown agencies (Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health, and their predecessors); barriers to settlement experienced by their clients and Cooper Legal under these processes; issues relating to funding of claims for historic abuse in care and levels of compensation claimants receive; and the role of human rights instruments in these processes. Their evidence also suggests proposed solutions for the Inquiry to consider.

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Media enquiries: 027 298 2094; media@abuseincare.org.nz