Former Justice Minister Judith Collins Refuses to Apologize to Lake Alice Survivor
By Jimmy Ellingham of RNZ
A recent development has seen former Justice Minister Judith Collins declining to offer an apology to a survivor of abuse at Lake Alice, despite her previous assertions to the United Nations that there was no state-sanctioned torture in New Zealand.
Collins made these controversial statements back in 2014, a full decade before the government officially acknowledged the use of ‘torture’ in reference to the traumatic experiences endured by children and adolescents at the Lake Alice facility during the 1970s.
Defending her stance, Collins cited reports from the United Nations at the time to justify her position.
Fast forward to the present day, and the government has now declared that individuals who suffered from electric shocks or debilitating injections at Lake Alice are eligible for compensation due to the acknowledged acts of torture they endured.
One such survivor, Karilyn Wildbore from Levin, has opted to accept the $150,000 rapid redress payment offered to victims.
In response to Wildbore’s request for an apology from Collins for her previous statements, the former Justice Minister stood firm in her decision not to apologize.
Despite acknowledging the suffering experienced by individuals at Lake Alice, Collins maintained that her comments to the UN in 2014 were based on the findings of a United Nations subcommittee that visited New Zealand in 2013.
Expressing her disappointment with Collins’ refusal to apologize, Wildbore commented on the ongoing denial surrounding the events at Lake Alice, emphasizing the need for accountability.
The government’s recent acknowledgment of the torture inflicted on children and young people at Lake Alice has paved the way for a $22.68 million compensation package for survivors, including the option of rapid payments or arbitration for those who received electric shocks or paralyzing injections.
Collins’ office has been approached for further comment on the matter.
