Abuse in Care, a Royal Commission of Inquiry has announced it will hold its first Public hearing - where evidence will be presented - on Tuesday, 29 October 2019. This is expected to run until 8 November 2019.

We have published a provisional scope document for the Public hearing which sets out the focus of the hearing.  The scope document outlines the eight pou or pillars which will guide our work for the duration of the Inquiry. The Royal Commission welcomes feedback from interested parties on the provisional scope document. 

To prepare for this, we will also hold a one-day Procedural hearing on Monday, 19 August 2019.

The venue for both hearings will be confirmed and advertised soon.

At the Procedural hearing, we will provide all the information you need to know about the Public hearing, such as how to apply for leave to appear.

It is also an opportunity for individuals, groups, institutions or other organisations who wish to formally participate in the Inquiry, to apply to be a core participant of the Inquiry.

A ‘core participant’ is someone who has played, or may have played, a direct and significant role in relation to abuse in care. They can also be someone who has a significant interest in abuse in care, or who may be subject to serious criticism during the Inquiry.  

We are committed to giving survivors, as well as their families or whānau, a choice about how they give evidence to the Inquiry:

  • Some may wish to participate only through the separate process of confidential private sessions.
  • Others may wish to participate by giving evidence at public hearings – anonymously or not.

As well as at the Procedural hearing, applications to be a core participant in the first Public hearing can be made by emailing counselassist@abuseincare.org.nz before 5:00pm on Friday, 26 July 2019.

If a survivor witness wants to appear at a public hearing - and are asked to do so by the Royal Commission - but fears doing so without protection, please contact us to find out how you can receive the protections you need.

We can be contacted on 0800 222 727 or by email counselassist@abuseincare.org.nz

Read more in the Procedural hearing Minute.

Apply as a core participant at a public hearing

Please download, fill in and send back the form below to apply as a core participant. Detailed instructions can be found in the document:

Application for core participant status form