A survivor of abuse in New Zealand state care says a Ministry of Education staff member told him he would probably die before his compensation claim was settled, the NZ Herald reports.
Toni Jarvis, 65, who was sexually abused in care as a child and received the King's Service Medal last year for his advocacy, is on a priority list because of serious health problems. He accused the government of hollow promises, saying survivors have died waiting.
The 2024 Royal Commission of Inquiry report estimated that 200,000 people were abused in state care between 1950 and 2019, and led to a formal apology from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
Mr Jarvis said an assessor recently asked him why he had not spoken up sooner and told him to provide evidence. The ministry said it takes abuse claims seriously and trains staff in trauma-informed approaches.
Source: NZ Herald
