新西兰正在把“历史虐待补偿”从零散的道德修复，升级为一个更严格、更制度化、更可审查的国家级法律体系。
《受虐国家补偿制度法案》三读通过 红ress体系全面改革
新西兰负责皇家调查委员会后续工作的协调部长Erica Stanford今日宣布，《受虐国家补偿制度法案（Redress System for Abuse in Care Bill）》已在国会完成三读通过，标志着国家对历史机构照护虐待问题的补偿体系进入全面改革阶段。
该法案是回应New Zealand Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry报告的一系列改革措施之一。
法案核心目标：建立更清晰的补偿体系
Erica Stanford表示，该制度的核心目的包括：
- 承认受害者在国家照护体系中的遭遇
- 提供替代诉讼的补偿途径（避免漫长法律程序）
- 保障补偿体系的公信力与一致性
她指出：
“这项法案旨在提升补偿体系的完整性，同时回应皇家调查委员会提出的建议。”
补偿内容：延续现有支持体系
现行国家补偿制度仍包括：
- 查阅个人照护记录
- 金钱赔偿
- 心理与福利支持
- 法律援助
- 官方道歉
新法案将在此基础上进行制度强化与规范化。
重要扩展：精神健康机构历史案件纳入
法案新增关键扩展条款：
- 纳入1993年7月1日至2022年6月30日
- 在国家精神健康机构中遭受虐待的案件
- 解决长期存在的制度空白（“dead-end gap”）
同时，制度也将进一步扩展至：
- 2022年7月1日之后的相关案件（未来适用）
引入“严重罪行推定限制”机制
政府认为，部分极严重犯罪背景的申请人可能影响制度公信力，因此新增规定：
对特定严重罪行的补偿限制
若申请人涉及以下类型罪行：
- 谋杀
- 过失杀人
- 性侵犯
- 对儿童实施性行为
- 严重身体伤害
- 加重抢劫
且刑期5年以上：
👉 将默认不发放金钱赔偿（presumption against financial redress）
但重要的是：
- 仍可获得其他补偿（记录、支持、道歉等）
独立审查机制：红ress官（Redress Officer）
法案设立独立决策角色：
红ress官职责
- 审核是否推翻“拒绝金钱赔偿”的推定
- 确保程序公平与自然正义
- 负责个案审查与一致性判断
任职要求
必须为：
- 退休法官
- King’s Counsel（御用大律师）
- 或资深律师
特殊豁免机制
在以下情况下可豁免限制：
- 申请人患有绝症
- 预计生存期少于6个月
时间安排
- 2026年8月1日：严重罪行限制机制正式生效
- 2027年7月14日：扩展制度正式实施
- 部分申请人已提前登记
- 法案其余部分将在御准后生效
核心解读
这一改革释放三个政策信号：
1. 国家补偿体系制度化加强
从“道德补偿”转向“标准化法律制度”。
2. 公信力优先
在受害者权益与公众信任之间建立平衡机制。
3. 长期历史问题系统化处理
将精神健康机构历史虐待正式纳入国家责任范围。
Legislation to protect the integrity of the State redress system passed its third reading today, 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, Erica Stanford says.
“The Redress System for Abuse in Care Bill is one of several initiatives underway to improve the redress system in response to the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry,” says Ms Stanford.
The Bill provides that the purpose of a state redress scheme is to:
recognise a person’s experience of abuse in care, and
offer a pathway as an alternative to litigation to provide for redress for abuse in care.
“The Bill also resolves a long-standing gap in redress where survivors of abuse in mental health facilities after 1993 faced dead-ends and a lack of recognition. The Bill gives effect to Charlotte’s Change to extend the State redress scheme to include claims of abuse in State mental health facilities from 1 July 1993 to 30 June 2022.”
“Under the current redress system, survivors of abuse and neglect in State care can make a redress claim that includes access to care records, a financial payment, wellbeing support, legal services support, and an apology.
“The Government considers that a financial payment to survivors with convictions for serious violent or sexual offences, who were sentenced to five years or more, could bring the State redress system into disrepute or adversely affect public confidence in the redress system.
This Bill introduces a presumption against financial redress for survivors with convictions for certain serious sexual and/or violent offences who have received a sentence of five years or more for that offence.
“The presumption only applies to financial redress payments. Survivors with serious violent or sexual offences can still access other forms of redress.
“An independent decision-maker, called the ‘redress officer’, is established through the Bill to consider applications to overturn the presumption.
“The redress officer must be a retired Judge, King’s Counsel or senior lawyer and have a range of skills and experience relevant to the role. They will also be responsible for ensuring the process is fair and consistent with natural justice.
“The redress officer will have discretion to exempt a survivor from the serious offender process if they have a terminal illness with a prognosis of less than six months.
“This extension will be implemented on 14 July 2027, with some people already pre-registered.
“The Bill has also been future-proofed to include a redress scheme which covers abuse in mental health settings from 1 July 2022,” says Ms Stanford.
Notes to editors
A serious violent or sexual offence is defined as an offence listed in Schedule 1AB of the Sentencing Act 2002. These are the “three strikes” offences.
The offences are the most serious sexual and violent offences in the Crimes Act and include murder, manslaughter, sexual violation, sexual connection with a child, grievous bodily harm, and aggravated robbery.
The presumption applies to all new redress claims made to State redress agencies since 9 May 2025. An interim process is in place for survivors making new claims. This process will continue until the legislation comes into force. If survivors are terminally ill and will not survive until the legislation comes into force, they can apply for a Ministerial exemption from the serious offender process.
The commencement date for the serious offender process is 1 August 2026. The rest of the Bill will come into force the day after Royal assent.
