27390 (2025). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Lead Coordination Minister for the Government's Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions

27390 (2025). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Lead Coordination Minister for the Government's Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions: Will the Crown cooperate with claimants and their advocates who want to test the scope of torture in other contexts beyond Lake Alice; if not, why?

Hon Erica Stanford: The Convention against Torture requires a prompt and impartial investigation if there are reasonable grounds to believe that an act of torture is committed in New Zealand. I am advised that if a claimant or their advocate provides information to a responsible agency that gives rise to reasonable grounds for believing that there has been torture in another institution, the matter will be investigated. Complaints can also be laid with Police who will exercise their operational independence in taking decisions. The Crown Response Office does not investigate allegations of torture.