An abuse survivors’ network has endorsed one survivor’s decision to reject his King’s Service Medal, citing the Government’s “failure” to do “justice by faith-based survivors”.

Mike Ledingham, 74, was named in the 2025 New Year Honours on Tuesday for services to survivors of abuse in care – one of several survivors recognised.

Ledingham, who primarily lives in Maketū, Bay of Plenty, announced on social media on Tuesday night he could not accept the honour.

He told NZME he rejected the appointment because he believed faith-based abuse survivors were being “sent back” to the institutions that abused them to ask for redress.

“I don’t think that’s right … Where is the integrity in sending victims back to their abuser or the abusing organisation to somehow get redress?”

In response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into abuse in care, the Government is planning a new single redress system for survivors this year.

Critics say while redress interim systems for state victims have been established, survivors of abuse in faith-based settings are left with church processes – and one advocate fears they will be “ghosted” in the new system. They are calling for a dedicated faith redress body to be set up.

‘It happened again and again …’

Ledingham’s New Year Honour citation said he and his two brothers experienced abuse in faith-based care during the 1950s and 1960s.

The lack of response from the Catholic Church on the abuse drove Ledingham to advocate for an investigation into the silencing and covering up of reported child abuse in churches.

Ledingham spent more than 20 years campaigning for redress and better child safety in faith-based care settings.

He wrote The Catholic Boys (2019) about the impacts of the abuse he and his brothers suffered.

Abuse survivor Mike Ledingham pictured in 2014. Photo / Supplied

Ledingham told NZME he and his brothers went public in 2002.

There was the “odd” person who thought “we’re just stirrers and it didn’t happen”.

“All I can say is rest assured it happened, and it happened again and again and again over years and years and years. And it’s time we did something about it.”

Ledingham said the Government had set up redress systems for state care abuse victims.

The Ministry of Social Development, for example, offers rapid payments of up to $25,000 in prioritised cases.

Ledingham said faith-based abuse victims, however, needed to go back to the institution they were abused by for redress.

He said a church-funded tribunal should be established to decide redress so survivors don’t have to talk to the institutions that abused them.

‘A denial of natural justice’

Network for Survivors of Abuse in Faith-Based Institutions spokesman Dr Murray Heasley said the group “fully” endorsed Ledingham’s decision to reject his honour “on the basis of the failure of the Government … to do justice by faith-based survivors”.

“By making the survivor go back to the institution that was the original perpetrator of the abuse, you have … a denial of natural justice.”

He said church systems meant the institution would judge the legitimacy of the complaint against it.

“There’s no arm-length judgment system in place.”

He said this was an issue for all survivors.

“The overarching desire is for the Government to set up an independent body that audits, investigates, and decides what is adequate, what is appropriate redress, so that the survivor does not have to go back to the institution that was the original source of the predation,” Heasley said.

Dr Murray Heasley, a spokesman for the Network of Survivors of Abuse in Faith-based Institutions pictured in 2018. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

The Royal Commission’s inquiry found most faith-based institutions had developed claims processes but these were often inadequate and some had prioritised church needs over those of survivors.

It recommended that when the new scheme is developed, faith-based institutions should be encouraged to join within a reasonable time, or if necessary, be required to join.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced in November the Government would invest an additional $32 million to increase capacity in the current system for redress while it worked to get a new single redress system operating this year.

In statements responding to the inquiry’s findings, Catholic leaders said the church is committed to continuing work to ensure accountability and healing, and Anglican Church leaders supported the establishment of an independent entity for handling future complaints.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the Government will be working to get a new single redress system operating this year. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Heasley said victims would need to go to Catholic Church institutions for redress until the Government set up a new single redress system.

“We don’t think that faith-based is going to be included in that. That’s the whole problem.

“Our assumption … is that faith-based is going to be totally ghosted. They were originally, and we had to fight tooth and nail to get involved.”

The inquiry into historical abuse in state care was announced in February 2018. After consultation, faith-based care was included in November 2018.

What happens when an honour is rejected?

A Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) spokesperson said a person could resign from an order.

“In that case, the King would be informed, and advised to cancel the honour, and the person’s name would be removed from the honours lists.”

The spokesperson could not confirm whether Ledingham had contacted DPMC on this matter.

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.