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Abuse in care survivors to be paid less than a third of government’s $774m package
Less than a third of the government’s $774 million abuse in care redress and reform package will end up in the pockets of survivors.
Figures obtained by RNZ revealed only $205m was earmarked for paying new claims with $52m to go towards topping up previously closed claims.
In defence of the figures, Erica Stanford, the Minister leading the government’s abuse in care response, said redress payments were not the most important thing for some survivors and some of the $774m in this year’s Budget was going towards changing the care system and providing other supports.
However, $92m was for the civil servants who administered the redress funds and another $37m would pay for operating costs like premises and IT.
For every two dollars going to survivors, more than a dollar would be spent on administration.
Cooper Legal principal partner Sonja Cooper, whose firm had acted for hundreds of abuse survivors and victims, said it was a disgrace.
Breaking down new abuse in care redress funding
- Payment of new claims: $205.3 million
- Top-ups of previously closed claims: $52.6 million
- Targeted support: $31.5 million
- Case management personnel costs: $92.2 million
- Operating costs, such as premises, ICT, etc: $37.6 million
- Records provision: $31.6 million
- Reimbursing legal costs: $34.7 million
- Enhancing redress systems: $11.2 million
- Survivor Experiences Service and Kōnae: $30.3 million
- Other costs: $6.4 million
