This two-day symposium will evaluate and make recommendations on the Government’s draft terms of reference for their inquiry into the abuse of children in state care. It will focus on the scope of the inquiry, compensation and apology. It will consider the views of those with experience with similar inquiries overseas, as well as the views of local experts working on justice for survivors, legal practitioners/scholars and the survivors themselves.

The symposium will also consider the operations and “manner of working” of the inquiry.

Australian speakers include:

• Justice Peter McClellan
• Professor Larissa Behrendt
• Professor Kathleen Daly

For more information, contact: 

• Elizabeth Stanley: elizabeth.stanley@vuw.ac.nz  +64 4 463 5228
• Anaru Erueti: a.erueti@auckland.ac.nz +64 9 923 8010
• Rosslyn Noonan: r.noonan@auckland.ac.nz +64 21 543 611

Background information

A Draft Framework for a NZ Royal Commission into Abuse in State Care (2017) was written by Elizabeth Stanley (Associate Professor in Criminology, Victoria University of Wellington), Rosslyn Noonan (Director, NZ Centre for Human Rights, Law School, Auckland University), Anaru Erueti (Senior Lecturer, Law School, Auckland University) and Sonja Cooper (Principal, Cooper Legal).

The framework is based on a survey, completed by 340 survivors of abuse in state care. It reflects their wishes. Advocates and survivors who have worked on these issues for many years were also consulted.

More information.