The Salvation Army has given a lukewarm response the idea of establishing an independent body to deal with all claims of abuse of people in the care of the state and churches.
The Abuse in Care Royal Commission is hearing from churches into how they have handled cases of historical abuse over the next week-and-a-half. Photo:
Survivors have been advocating for an independent organisation for sometime to avoid them having to seek redress from the institution where the abuse took place.
The Abuse in Care Royal Commission is hearing from churches into how they have handled cases of historical abuse.
The Network for Survivors of Abuse in faith-based institutions wants the proposed entity to be able to receive and investigate complaints of abuse, refer for prosecutions where appropriate and determine appropriate redress in each case.
It wants the body to be based on the principles of inclusion, accessibility, impartiality, transparency and consistency, which it says the current systems have none of.
Liz Tonks from the network said the processes churches put survivors through were further trauma-inducing and were unfit for purpose.
''This Commission, the state and the churches have been given a clear message by survivors abused in both state and faith-based institutions the establishment of an independent body is needed now and can not wait.''
Salvation Army chief secretary Gerry Walker said the body was not opposed to the idea and remained open-minded.
''The Commission is very aware of this particular point and my from understanding are wanting to address that as quickly as practically possible and we, speaking on behalf of the Salvation Army, would take that on board and are not opposed to that concept.''
He said the Salvation Army would take its lead from the Royal Commission but was happy to explore the proposal in more detail.
Since 2001 the Salvation Army has paid out just over $5m in compensation to 172 victims of abuse.
Colonel Walker said they were not ruling out reviewing settlements so survivors can feel they were treated fairly.
''We did make the agreements in good faith, whether its 2002 or as recently as this year. They were agreed to by the survivors, but are we open to that possibility of reviewing, yes, we are.''
The hearing has heard that a number of records held by the Salvation Army have been lost over the years.
The Chairperson, Judge Coral Shaw, told Colonel Walker it would be of enormous concern to survivors.
''Seeing the organisation being complicit, if you like, in the abuse by hiding it. Do you accept that this is the case?''
''I accept that there are gaps in our documentation. How some of those occurred, I don't know,'' he said.
Murray Houston has had the sole responsibility in dealing with claims of abuse received by the Salvation Army over the last 20 years.
The airing of a TV documentary in 2001 about abuse in Salvation Army children's homes in Australia opened the flood-gates in New Zealand over night.
Houston said that was a turning point for the army.
''Probably within 24 hours we were contacted by around 20 people who at that point were concerned about their treatment while they were in Salvation Army homes in New Zealand.''
He said calls then started flowing in from around the country and the organisation was in shock.
''In terms of leadership and the overall Salvation Army at that time there was a general misunderstanding of the abuse that had occurred and the effect of abuse on children, for many, over a life time.''
Murray Houston said once the shock turned to reality it was clear the Salvation Army needed to take control of the process and he was then appointed to look into the claims and had worked on these ever since.