A Royal Commission report reveals the extent of abuse in state care, the pressure goes on Speaker Trevor Mallard, and the Government reveals an increase in the minimum wage.
An interim report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care has found more than a third of children in state care between 1950 and 2019 are believed to have been victims of abuse.
But the Royal Commission says it won’t be possible to ever determine the exact number of people abused, due to large gaps in data collected at the time.
The report says most of those abused come from the most disadvantaged or marginalised segments of the community, particularly Māori and Pacific families, disabled people and women and girls.
Minister of State Services Chris Hipkins says the report is a difficult read and shows the enormity of the abuse and trauma that has taken place over the years.
"All children in the care of the state should be safe from harm, but as the testimony sets out, all too often the opposite was true. We need to acknowledge these past wrongs and learn from them," he says.
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'Roast Buster' charges filed
Police have filed charges against three men formerly involved in the alleged underage sex group, ‘Roast Busters’.
Two of those men are due to appear in Waitakere District Court next week, while the third, who now lives overseas, is wanted for arrest. They all face charges of sexual connection with a person aged between 12 and 16.
The so-called Roast Busters gang boasted online about having sex with drunk girls between 2011 and 2013.
No charges were laid at the time, however police say a formal complaint made this year prompted a new investigation.
Nats put pressure on Speaker
The pressure is still on Parliament’s Speaker Trevor Mallard after his appearance before a Select Committee yesterday.
Mallard was answering MPs’ questions about a defamation case that has cost the taxpayer more than $333,000 so far and appeared to floor National’s Chris Bishop when he admitted he knew “within 24 hours” that he’d falsely accused a parliamentary worker of being a rapist.
Mallard told Bishop he didn’t correct his mistake because there was an employment process involved.
Prior to Mallard’s Select Committee appearance yesterday, National leader Judith Collins said he needed to step down as Speaker, because he’d lost his moral authority . The ACT Party has also called for Mallard’s resignation.
The Parliamentary Service says the man who sued Mallard over his comments last year still has an ongoing employment case against them, which has already cost nearly $40,000 in legal fees.
Former Deputy Speaker Anne Tolley last year changed the rules to give Speakers, including Mallard, access to the same legal financial support as Ministers.
She told RNZ this week she expected Mallard’s case to be expensive when she agreed to its costs being covered by the taxpayer.
Minimum wage on the rise
The Government has announced it’s increasing the minimum wage by $1.10 to $20 an hour from the beginning of April.
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood says the Government is committed to supporting Kiwis by raising wages during the Covid-19 recovery.
However, National’s Scott Simpson has questioned the timing of the wage rise, saying “now is not the right time to be burdening struggling businesses with further costs of this size”.
Ardern reflects on Covid efforts
With the end of 2020 just around the corner, news outlets have begun their wrap of a tumultuous year – and their gaze has once again fallen on New Zealand’s efforts in combating the Covid pandemic.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the goal of eliminating the coronavirus was driven as much by fear as it was ambition.
She also reflected on the bumps along the way in achieving that goal and US President Donald Trump’s “misrepresentation of New Zealand’s position” after the resurgence of cases in Auckland.
Her comments come as the Government prepares to reveal more about its Covid vaccine programme today.
Meanwhile, the pandemic crisis continues to gather pace overseas.
The World Health Organization has this morning urged those in Europe to wear masks during their family gatherings at Christmas, while UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also asked families to limit their celebrations .
And it’s promising to be a grim Christmas for many in California, with the US state yesterday activating its “mass fatality” programme in response to a surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths. The New Yorker also reports US hospitals are now running out of nurses and doctors to cope with their Covid caseload.
Warning over drones
There are concerns illegal drone flying could bring the upcoming Christmas Regatta and the America’s Cup to a grinding halt.
The Civil Aviation Authority is warning pilots they’ll need to steer well clear of the Auckland waterfront on race days, with strict no-fly zones in place.
Officials are teaming up with police to patrol the skies and say they’ll be working hard to ensure no one is breaking the rules. You can read more about those rules here .
Other news of note this morning:
- Yesterday’s half year economic and fiscal update indicated less doom and gloom for New Zealand’s situation, while today’s GDP figures are expected to show a massive hike.
- Retirement village operator Summerset Group is paying back the $8.6 million it received in wage subsidies – and with business borrowing dropping, there are renewed calls for more companies to do the same .
- The two schools of the children left hospitalised after this week’s fatal helicopter crash near Kaikōura are offering support and counselling to their classmates and the families involved.
- Bird rescue centres are preparing for an influx of sick, emaciated animals as the impacts of La Niña begin.
- Fireworks are being banned in several locations around Christchurch following last weekend’s blaze in the Port Hills.
- Black Caps captain Kane Williamson has revealed he became a dad this week .
- And there’s bad news for the country’s watermelon fans – be prepared to fork out a lot more money for the fruit this summer.
And finally...
Seven Sharp has continued to look back at the year through the eyes of its reporters and last night was Laura Daniel’s turn.
The comedian joined the team in February and was tasked with providing viewers with some light relief. Little did anyone know just how desperately that light relief would be needed in 2020.
Laura has spent the year becoming a cake baker, a football player, a truck driver and a K-Pop dancer – and you can relive all of those good times right here .
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