Outgoing PSO chief says abuse investigation has had an impact

The outgoing head of Otago Presbyterian Support Centre says abuse in a care inquiry has taken a toll on her.

The organization said Joe O’Neill made a personal decision to resign after nearly five years of service.

The care abuse royal commission has revealed the Otago Presbyterian Support Office (PSO) destroyed records of children in its care in late 2017, before the commission began its investigation.

The report said the organisation’s then-chief executive, Gillian Bremner, told a staff member to destroy all records except a register of names and dates.

Bremner told the inquiry she received advice to destroy the records from Fraser Barton, a lawyer and former chair of the Presbyterian Support Otago Committee.

O’Neill, who took over as chief executive in 2019, told ABC New Zealand she didn’t know why the records were destroyed but it was not something she would do.

“All I know is that a member of staff at the time, who is also no longer with us, was told to destroy the records,” she said.

“At the end of the day, all I can say is that it breaks my heart that these records were destroyed. I completely appreciate the fact that this will allow those who are going through treatment to have information about what they are going through, and I am so sorry that this happened.”

O’Neill said her decision to resign was not directly related to the nursing abuse investigation, but she has spent the past few years leading her organization’s response to it.

“It does take its toll, it stays with you and doesn’t leave you.

“It’s been a huge job, gathering all the information, conducting the investigations, dealing with all the things that have to be dealt with, walking along side the survivors, it’s a huge job and everybody here has done an incredible job… So after five years and dealing with things like COVID, I think it’s time for someone else to take the reins and lead this organization forward.”

O’Neill’s last day at PSO is August 9, while Robbie Moginie has been appointed acting chief executive, taking up the role on August 12.

New Zealand Law Society president Fraser Barton has taken leave following complaints about legal advice he gave to a PSO before it destroyed records of children in his care.

The complaint was filed by Sam Benton, a partner at Cooper Legal, a law firm that has represented abuse survivors since the 1990s.

When Patton was asked if the records could be destroyed, he said yes, at “appropriate milestones or anniversaries,” according to the committee report.

Barton told ABC New Zealand he was unaware of potential child abuse investigations in 2017 and 2018, so the records were vital.

“My advice is to destroy them when the time is right, not to destroy them now,” he said.

Barton is a partner at Anderson Lloyd LLP.

Anderson Lloyd said the issue of PSOs destroying documents was now the subject of a complaint to the Law Society and they supported the process.

The company said: “The Care Abuse Royal Commission’s report is heartbreaking and our hearts go out to the survivors of abuse.”

“Fraser remains a partner at Anderson Lloyd LLP. He is a highly respected senior lawyer and a close colleague and friend to many at the firm. After many years of service to Anderson Lloyd LLP and the wider community, this is a difficult time for him and his family and we support him.”