“Tuesday’s national apology wasn’t a day of justice, it was a day of acknowledgement. It was an opportunity for the general public to learn about the harsh realities being faced by those who spent time in state and faith based care institutions for several decades.

As survivors we didn’t need to hear the word sorry to know that what we have been through was real, and that the crown was ultimately responsible for it all

For us as advocates there is no time to stop and take a breath, because we all know that young people are still suffering from the same abuse that the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition apologised for. We see it in the absence of our whānau gone long before their time, and in the eyes of our whānau still around us.

The apology came as a result of decades of advocacy from survivors, their whānau, community, and advocates. If anything, I hope that day serves as a reminder to ngā whānau morehu – our communities, of the importance of continuing to advocate for positive change. We are the voices our care community deserves and so desperately needs.”

– Tupua Urlich, VOYCE National Care Experienced Lead