Faith-based Institutions Response Hearing 13 to 21 October 2022
About the hearing
The Inquiry examined the responses of faith-based institutions to the abuse and neglect of thousands of children, young people and vulnerable adults in their care at a final public hearing held from 13 to 21 October 2022.
10 faith-based institutions were questioned about their failures to provide adequate care and respond to allegations of abuse and neglect. Multiple witnesses from each organisation gave evidence, allowing the Inquiry to hear senior leadership perspectives.
Prior to the hearing the institutions were asked to provide written responses to questions regarding abuse and neglect under their care, including:
- How were care systems monitored and those in care protected from physical, psychological, sexual abuse and neglect?
- Had they met their obligations under te Tiriti o Waitangi?
- To what extent had their care systems met the needs of Māori, Pacific and Disabled people and people with mental health conditions?
- How had racism, ableism and bias impacted on the delivery of care services?
Information about the public hearing - faith institutions response to abuse in care
Religious and faith-based institutions are organisations that have religious values and beliefs and support groups of people that believe in their same values.
At this public hearing, we will hear faith-based organisations answer questions about the abuse and neglect of children, young people and adults in their care, who they were supposed to be helping.
This is the last public hearing for the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, and it will take place from Thursday 13 October to Friday 21 October 2022. There will be no hearing day on Friday 14 October.
This section will tell you about:
The faith-based institutions that will be part of this hearing
- What types of questions the faith-based institutions will be asked
- Who will answer the questions
- The last hearing that was held, which was for State agencies
- The questions these State agencies were asked
- What the Royal Commission does
- How you can attend the hearing
The faith-based institutions appearing at the hearing:
- Gloriavale Christian Community
- St Patrick’s College, Silverstream
- Dioceses and congregations of the Catholic Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
- Wesley College
- Methodist Church of New Zealand
- Presbyterian Support Central
- Presbyterian Support Otago
- Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
- Dilworth School
- Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand
Faith-based institutions will be answering questions about why they were not able to look after people who were in their care and reply to comments from survivors about the neglect and abuse they received.
People who will answer questions from the faith-based institutions will be people in leadership positions.
In August 2022 there was a public hearing to hear State agencies answer questions about the abuse and neglect of children, young people and vulnerable adults in their care.
State agencies are organisations that are part of government and make important decisions for the public.
The State agencies we interviewed were:
- Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children
- Ministry of Social Development
- Ministry of Health
- Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People
- Ministry of Education
- Education Review Office
- Teaching Council
- New Zealand Police
- Department of Corrections
- Te Puni Kōkiri
- Ministry for Pacific Peoples
- Children’s Commissioner
- Ombudsman
- Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission
Before the State agencies' public hearing, the Royal Commission’s public hearings were mainly to hear from survivors.
Before the public hearings, state agencies and faith-based institutions were asked to write answers to the following questions:
- How people were looked after and protected in care
- How racism, ableism and bias affected how they looked after people
- How they followed te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi)
- How the needs of different communities were met, including:
- Māori and Tangata Whaikaha Māori
- Pacific people
- Disabled and Deaf people
- People experiencing mental distress
The hearing will talk about things that happened in the past and the present.
About the Royal Commission:
- The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry is looking at what happened to people who spent time in institutions and other places run by the State and faith-based organisations between 1950 and 1999.
- We will also suggest changes to make sure what happened in the past can’t happen again now and in the future.
- We will write a report for the Government next year in June, telling them what we found.
- This report will say how things must improve, so people do not experience any more abuse and neglect when being cared for by the State and faith-based organisations.
How can I attend the hearing?
The public hearing for faith-based institutions will take place for 6 days from Thursday 13 October to Friday 21 October 2022 at 414 Khyber Pass Road, Newmarket, Auckland. Please note: There will be no hearing day on Friday 14 October.
It will be open to the public, and a captioned live stream of the hearing will be available on the Royal Commission’s website.
Please phone us on 0800 222 727 during weekday hours if you need further information about the hearing, or if you want wellbeing support. You can also visit our website: https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/ for other ways to speak with us.
***Distressing content warning***
This material contains explicit descriptions of tūkino – abuse, harm and trauma – and may evoke strong negative, emotional responses for readers. Although this response may be unpleasant and difficult to tolerate, it is also appropriate to feel upset. Respect others’ truths, breathe deeply, take care of your spirit and be gentle with your heart. However, if you or someone in your close circle needs support, please contact your healthcare or wellbeing provider.
Hearing schedule
Outlined below are the faith-based organisations and their representatives that were questioned at the hearing. Witness statements, briefs of evidence and transcripts of their testimony can be accessed through the links below.
Day 1: 13 October 2022
- Opening Statements
- Gloriavale Christian Community
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- Howard Temple – Overseeing Shepherd of Gloriavale Christian Community
- Rachel Stedfast – Acting Principal of Gloriavale Christian School
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Day 2: 17 October 2022
- St Patrick's College Silverstream
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- Fr Tim Duckworth – Society of Mary
- Rob Ferreira – Rector
- Dr Clare Couch – Chairperson, Board of Proprietors
- Sean Mahony – Chairperson, School Board
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- The Dioceses and Congregations of the Catholic Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
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- Bishop Patrick Dunn – Bishop Emeritus of Auckland
- Bishop Steve Lowe – Bishop of Auckland and Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Hamilton
- Cardinal John Dew – Archbishop of Wellington, Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Palmerston North and President New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference
- Dr Paul Flanagan – Member of the National Safeguarding and Professional Standards Committee
- Sister Sue France – Congregational Leader, Nga Whaea Atawhai O Aotearoa Sisters of Mercy New Zealand.
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Day 3: 18 October 2022
- The Methodist Church of New Zealand and Wesley College
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- Reverend Tara Tautari – General Secretary of the Methodist Church of New Zealand
- Reverend Ian Faulkner – former Principal of Wesley College
- Chris Johnston – General Secretary of Wesley College Trust Board
- Etuini Talakai – Vice President of the Methodist Church of New Zealand
- Dr Brian Evans – Principal Wesley College
- Sekope Kepu – Wesley College Old Boy
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Day 4: 19 October 2022
- Presbyterian Support Central
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- Muhammad Naseem (Joe) Asghar – Chief Executive Officer of Presbyterian Support Central
- Patrick Waite – Former Chief Executive Officer of Presbyterian Support Central
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- Presbyterian Support Otago
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- Jo O’Neill – Chief Executive Officer of Presbyterian Support Otago
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- Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
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- Wayne Matheson – Assembly Executive Secretary of PCANZ
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- Dilworth School and Trust Board
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- Dilworth Survivors Class Action Group
- Dr Murray Wilton – former Dilworth School Headmaster
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Day 5: 20 October 2022
- Dilworth School and Trust Board
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- Derek Firth – former Trustee and Chairman of the Dilworth Trust Board
- Aaron Snodgrass – Trustee and Chairman of the Dilworth Trust Board
- Dan Reiddiex – Dilworth School Headmaster
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- Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand
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- Right Reverend Ross Bay – Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Auckland
- Most Reverend Donald Tamihere – Archbishop of Aotearoa
- Most Reverend Philip Richardson – Archbishop of New Zealand
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- Closing statements begin
Day 6: 21 October 2022
- Closing statements continue
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- Gloriavale Christian Community
- Methodist Church of New Zealand
- Dilworth Action Group
- SNAP
- Gloriavale Leavers’ Trust
- Survivor kōrero
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