Survivors of abuse in care recognised in New Year Honours list

12:02 pm on 31 December 2024

Tim Brown, Senior Reporter

Darryl Smith has been recognised for services to survivors of abuse in care in the New Year Honours. Photo: Supplied / Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care

More than a dozen people have been recognised for their work in bringing to light and supporting survivors of abuse in care in the New Year Honours.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into abuse in state and faith-based care earlier this year released its final report, which found at least 200,000 people were abused, and even more neglected, by the state and faith-based institutions since 1950.

The report found abuse was rife in state and faith-based care settings and the state failed to respond to signs of systemic abuse and neglect.

In today's honours nine people were made companions of the King's Service Order for services to survivors of abuse in care, while seven received the King's Service Medal.

Darryl Smith, who was abused in faith-based and state care facilities from the age of seven, said Tuesday's recognition was a vindication for all survivors and victims of abuse at the state and churches' hands.

"It shows that the government is serious about what we've done on behalf of our country and behalf of survivors. It shows that they are respecting what we're doing," Smith said. "But we've got a lot more work ahead."

He never thought the government would recognise those who had worked to hold the state to account for its abuses.

While he appreciated the acknowledgment, he said the government needed to do more to support survivors and their whānau.

"I actually want to see the government put their money where their mouth is and the churches put their money where their mouth is - and that's all the churches, not just the Catholic Church, all of them.

"Put their money where their mouth is now because we've got the recommendations, they've got them, there's no holds barred now. They've done the thing with Lake Alice that I find still below par, for $150,000. They've got a lot to step up to now. They need to actually start putting things in place... for survivors and their families."

The fight was "far from over", he said.