Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO apologises sincerely and unreservedly for the involvement of nurses in historic abuses in state care.
The apology was made in a video by NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku and published today on the organisation’s website. It has already been shared with survivors and their whānau.
NZNO has also apologised unreservedly for any role nurses may have had in ignoring and not standing up to abuse in state care.
Kerri Nuku says for decades from the 1950s, children in psychiatric hospitals and other state and faith-based care suffered horrific abuse.
"And among those responsible were nurses-our own profession. Nurses who were entrusted to care, to protect, to heal. Instead, some inflicted harm. Others turned away. This is a double betrayal, because care and compassion are the very essence of nursing.
"The experiences of survivors, told to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, were horrific, she says.
"These children were subjected to electric shocks, painful injections and degrading treatment. Nurses stood by while sexual abuse occurred. Some actively participated."
Kerri Nuku says most of the children involved were Māori, placed in institutions because they were Māori.
"Colonisation’s destructive intent was at work, and nurses became instruments of that harm. The scars left behind are not just physical. They are pervasive, lifelong, and intergenerational. Survivors and their whānau still carry the weight of trauma. Many do not trust nurses today - and that mistrust is justified.
"That this abuse occurred and for so long is a national disgrace. It is not only an issue of historical significance, but with abuse recognised up to 2019, it is also a contemporary issue. For this reason, NZNO joins calls for the swift implementation of all Royal Commissions’ recommendations."
An apology without action is hollow, Kerri Nuku says. "Words alone cannot heal. We commit to ensuring this never happens again." NZNO's response is guided by the findings of the Abuse in Care inquiries and the Lake Alice Hospital investigation and is a pledge to:
- Embed trauma-informed and culturally safe practice in nursing education and professional development.
- Advocate for a robust redress scheme that meets survivors’ needs and honours international standards.
- Protect whistleblowers and enforce transparency, ensuring no member can hide from accountability.
- Collaborate with the Nursing Council of New Zealand to strengthen Codes of Conduct and Ethics, making care synonymous with safety and dignity.
These actions reflect NZNO's commitment to tika and pono - or justice and truth - and to restoring the trust that was broken, Kerri Nuku says.