5. Children in State Care—Historical Abuse InquiryJACINDA ARDERN (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Prime MinisterChildren in State Care—Historical Abuse Inquiry5. JACINDA ARDERN (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement in regards to survivors of abuse while in State care that they've been able to come forward have their story heard get some compensation. Some of them aren't necessarily satisfied with that"?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH (Prime Minister): Yes. We have no problem acknowledging that for some people in State care in past decades abuse occurred of the type that has left them with long-lasting and traumatic damage. The Government is focused on two responses to that. One is through various forms such as the listening service and now the service offered by the Ministry of Social Development. Individuals affected can come forward have their story heard and be paid compensation and of course if criminal matters arise from that they can then go to the police. The second strand has been to set out to change the system which I understand many of the victims would like to see. That is why we have recently launched the Ministry for Vulnerable Children Oranga Tamariki: precisely to move on from and greatly improve on some of the errors of the past.Jacinda Ardern: When he said "There has been a form of that inquiry through the listening service that ran for seven years designed to get to the bottom of these issues" did he realise that this service closed while there were still people waiting to be heard?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: Yes and that is why the opportunity made available to them subsequent to the closure of the service has been significantly improved significantly sped up in a way that enables more people to be heard to receive an apology and to receive compensation.Jacinda Ardern: If those abused in State care have "had their story heard" why did Caroline Henwood the person charged with hearing those stories as part of the Government's closed Confidential Listening and Assistance Service recommend that an independent body be set up to look at the extent of State abuse?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: Judge Henwood made a report on the basis of the listening service when it was concluded. I understand and appreciate that some people including Judge Henwood do have a view that there should be a broad inquiry so there has been some discussion publicly about just what would be achieved by such an inquiry in addition to hearing the individual cases apologising and compensating and completely changing the system on a scale that has not occurred since the late 1980s.Jacinda Ardern: Has he seen the interviews in full with those in State care who featured on The Hui on Sunday?Carmel Sepuloni: Did he even watch it?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I have not seen those interviews—Carmel Sepuloni: No he didn't.Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: Well just listen.Carmel Sepuloni: Someone else needs to listen.Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: No no. I have had the opportunity as a member of Parliament to sit through dozens of such interviews—dozens of them not just with those who were children in care of the State but also with those who had suffered significant abuse in our mental health services and in our prisons. Again I repeat that the Government is providing the opportunity—which we are quite open to tweaking or changing if the discussion leads us that way—for cases to be heard for an apology and for compensation and more significantly has set out to change the system. In my discussions with people who are victims they want both of those things to happen.Jacinda Ardern: How can he guarantee that harm is not happening now when we still do not even have an independent complaints process for children and their families who are in care?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: The member actually raises a very pertinent issue. The first step that has been taken there has been the setting up of an independent NGO entity called VOYCE—and a number of us have met the people involved with that—which gives a voice and independent advocacy for children. Children in care today can go to that service—it is quite independent from Government—and will be protected I can assure the member of that. With regard to a proper independent complaints inquiry I understand that is under discussion for the reasons that I am sure the member would like to see it.Jacinda Ardern: Is he claiming that VOYCE a group funded by the Tindall Foundation and the Vodafone Foundation is the official complaints process for Child Youth and Family?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: No. I said it was a first step and for the first time there is the opportunity for children to obtain independent advocacy. With regard to independent complaint services the Children's Commissioner has been there since 1989. That has turned out not to be satisfactory and so there is discussion going on as we speak about an independent complaints service."