Message from the Chief Executive of Whaikaha to disabled survivors of abuse in care

12 November 2024

Public apologies

On 12 November 2024, the Prime Minister and some public sector leaders apologised to survivors of abuse in care.

These apologies respond to the report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care of the State and Faith-based Institutions. This important report is called Whanaketia – Through Pain and Trauma, From Darkness to Light external URL .

Separate video files of the public apologies and alternate formats will be available on the agency websites shortly. They will also be provided on the Crown Response to Abuse in Care website external URL .

Paula Tesoriero, the Chief Executive of Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People recorded a video in support of these apologies.

Paula also wanted to acknowledge the disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori, Deaf and tāngata Turi survivors, and outline how Whaikaha can work with government agencies and the community to create change.

Paula's video

Message from the Chief Executive of Whaikaha to disabled survivors of abuse in care.

Transcript - English

This is a transcript – the written words - of her video recording.

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā mōrehu [survivors] o te motu, tēnā koutou katoa. Talofa lava, kia orana, mālō e lelei, nisa bula vinaka, warm Pacific greetings.

Ko Paula Tesoriero tōku ingoa, Ko Te Tumu Whakarae ahau i Te Manatū Whaikaha, Ministry of Disabled People.

My name is Paula Tesoriero, and I am the Chief Executive of Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People.

I am a disabled woman with short brown hair wearing a white top with black spots and I’m standing in front of a window, and I have an NZSL interpreter to my left.

My sign name is this [Paula] – which is two closed fists symbolising two bicycle pedals moving in a forward direction.

I would like to begin by acknowledging how important, and also how challenging today is for disabled people, Deaf, tāngata whaikaha Māori and tāngata Turi right across Aotearoa.

Survivors, you courageously shared your experiences in the hope your peers, those that follow, will not endure what you did. I have heard and read many of your experiences, I have witnessed your pain, and I have seen your strength.

Thank you for sharing with Aotearoa.

I am making this statement today to support the apologies for abuse in care made by the Prime Minister and my Chief Executive colleagues that deliver care.

Receiving the apology, which was made today is also challenging for whānau, family, carers, supporters, and friends. For many, you were told by people you should have been able to trust, that it was best if your disabled or Deaf whānau member was cared for professionally by the state.

You thought you were doing right by them. And in many situations this decision was made for you, not with you.

Sadly, the state failed you too.

Because of the poor health outcomes for disabled people, there are many disabled people survivors who were too unwell or not alive to share their experiences with the royal commission or to be part of this significant day. I acknowledge their passing. I know that today can mean nothing without action.

Whanaketia, the title of the Royal Commission’s final report, means moving from the darkness to the light. We must do this together.

I join my Chief Executive colleagues in their commitment to change.
We know disabled people experience poorer outcomes in many areas compared to non-disabled people.

The creation of Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled people provides a dedicated voice for disability in the leadership of government agencies.
Our role is to work with other government agencies to improve things for disabled people.

We must educate and change attitudes. When society values disabled people and works to remove barriers to full inclusion, we reduce the risk of violence towards our community.

I have engaged with the Abuse in Care Royal Commission, and I have been responsible for people’s care through providing disability supports, I have gained a greater understanding for what is involved in building a system where people are free from abuse and neglect. There is still so much work to do.

For example, much more needs to be done to ensure disabled people can also access mainstream safeguarding and support services. I am proud of the actions that Whaikaha took to strengthen the quality and safeguarding system for disabled people.

This includes, developing a quality framework for disability support services, and services to prevent violence and abuse of disabled people.
These are informed by and led by disabled people. As we move towards the future, we must have a system that allows all people to flourish, and to live a life where they are safe and shown unconditional care and respect.
Thank you for your strength throughout history, your strength today and your strength as you continue to engage with the state so future generations have a better experience.

A heartfelt personal thanks to survivors both past and present who have engaged with our work, and across government to give disabled people more choice and control. Your courage, your stories, your work will guide me, my colleagues, and the next generation of leaders. This, this will be your legacy.

Ngā mihi nui, ki a koutou katoa.

Transcript - Māori

He karere nā Te Tumu Whakarae o Whaikaha ki ngā mōrehu whaikaha o te tūkino i te wā tiaki.

Tauākī:

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā mōrehu o te motu, tēnā koutou katoa.

Talofa lava, kia orana, mālō e lelei, nisa bula vinaka, warm Pacific greetings.

Ko Paula Tesoriero tōku ingoa, Ko Te Tumu Whakarae ahau i Te Manatū Whaikaha.

He wahine whaikaha ahau, he poto, he parauri aku makawe, he hāte mā tōku me ngā tingotingo pango, ā, e tū ana ahau ki mua o tētahi wini, he kaiwhakamārama NZSL ki taku taha mauī.

Anei taku ingoa rotarota (Paula) – e rua kapu piko e tohu ana i ngā taumanu pahikara e rua e koke whakamua ana.

Me tīmata ki taku mihi ki te hira me te wero nui o tēnei rā ki ngā tāngata whaikaha me ngā tāngata Turi puta noa i Aotearoa.

E ngā mōrehu, i māia te whakaputa i ō wheako i runga i te manako kia kore ngā āhuatanga i pā ki a koe, e pā ki ō hoa i muri nei. Kua rongo au, kua pānui hoki i te huhua o ngā wheako, kua kite au i tō mamae, kua kite au i tō kaha.

Tēnā koutou mō te tuari ki a Aotearoa.

E whakaputa ana au i tēnei tauākī i te rā nei ki te tautoko i ngā whakapāha mō ngā tūkino i te wā tiaki, i puta i te Pirimia me aku hoa Tumu Whakarae ka tiaki i te tangata.

He wā uaua hoki te whakarongo ki te whakapāha i puta i tēnei rā mā ngā whānau, ngā kaitiaki, ngā kaitautoko me ngā hoa. Mō te tokomaha, he mea tohutohu koutou e te tangata ko te tikanga e whakaponotia ana e koe, he pai ake mō tō uri whaikaha, Turi rānei, kia tiakina ia e tētahi mātanga a te kāwanatanga.

I runga anō i tērā pōhēhē i te āwhina koe i a rātou. He wā anō hoki nā tētahi kē te whakatau, kāore koe i whai wāhi ake.

Ko te mea aroha kē, i mūhore hoki te mahi a te kāwanatanga ki a koe.

Nā runga i ngā putanga hauora ngoikore mō ngā tāngata whaikaha, he tokomaha ngā mōrehu whaikaha i tūrorotia, kāore rānei i te ora ki te toha i ō rātou wheako ki te kōmihana karauna, kia whai wāhi rānei ki tēnei rā whakahirahira. Ka mihi au ki te hunga kua ngaro. Me taku mōhio anō, kāore pea he hua o tēnei rā ki te kore he mahi.

Ko te tikanga o Whanaketia, te pūrongo whakamutunga a te Kōmihana Karauna, ko te nuku i te pōuri ki te māramatanga. Me haere ngātahi tātou.

Ka hono au ki aku hoa Tumu Whakarae me te whakaū ki te whakarerekē i ngā mahi.

Kei te mōhio mātou he ngoikore ake ngā putanga mō ngā tāngata whaikaha i ngā wāhi maha, ina whakaritea ki te hunga hauā-kore.

Nā te hanganga o Te Manatū Whaikaha i whai reo motuhake ai ngā take hauā i te hautūtanga o ngā tari kāwanatanga.

Ko tā mātou mahi he mahi tahi me ētahi atu tari kāwanatanga ki te whakapai ake i ngā āhuatanga mā ngā tāngata whaikaha.

Me whakaako i te tangata, ā, me takahuri ngā waiaro. Ina uaratia te iwi whaikaha e te porihanga whānui, ā, ka ngana ki te tūraki i ngā tauārai ki te kauawhitanga, ka whakaiti hoki i te tūponotanga o te haupatu.

Kua whai wāhi au ki te Kōmihana a te Karauna mō ngā tūkinotanga i te Wā Tiaki, ā, nōku te haepapa mō te tiaki i te tangata mā te whakarato i ngā tautoko hauātanga, otirā kua whai māramatanga ahau ki te nui o te mahi whakatū i tētahi pūnaha e wātea ai te tangata i te tūkino me te whakahapa. He nui tonu ngā mahi hei mahi mā mātou.

Hei tauira, me nui ake ngā mahi ki te whakarite kia āhei atu ngā tāngata whaikaha ki ngā tikanga whakamaru auraki me ngā ratonga tautoko. E poho kererū ana au ki ngā mahi i whāia e Whaikaha ki te whakapakari i te pūnaha kounga me te whakamaru mā ngā tāngata whaikaha.

Ka uru ki tēnei te waihanga anga kounga mō ngā ratonga tautoko hauātanga, me ngā ratonga hei tauārai i te haupatu me te tūkinotanga o ngā tāngata whaikaha.

Ka whai mōhio, ā, ka arahina hoki tēnei e ngā tāngata whaikaha. I a mātou e koke whakamua ana ki te anamata, me whai pūnaha e ora ai te iwi whānui, ā, kia haumaru ō rātou ao, kia tiakina herekoretia, ā, kia whakautea hoki rātou i taua ao rā.

Ngā mihi ki a koutou mō tō kaha i roto i ngā tau, tō kaha i tēnei rā, me tō kaha i a koe e whai wāhi haere tonu ana ki te kāwanatanga, kia pai ake ai ngā wheako o ngā whakatipuranga i muri nei.

Ko taku mihi ngākau aroha ki ngā mōrehu o mua, o nāianei hoki, i whai wāhi ki ā mātou mahi, puta noa hoki i te kāwanatanga e whai kōwhiringa, e whai whakahaere ai ngā tāngata whaikaha. Mā tō manawanui, āu kōrero, me āu mahi e ārahi ahau, aku hoa mahi me te whakareanga kaiārahi hou. Ka noho koinei tō whakareretanga iho.