1998 Report of an Inquiry by The Commissioner for Children

In November 1995 the then-Commissioner for Children Laurie O'Reilly was approached by Mahurangi College, Warkworth to review their policies and practices to ensure that students were kept safe. This request followed the arrest and conviction of a teacher at the school for sexual abuse dating back 20 years.

The Mahurangi case raised fundamental issues about the safety of children and young people in New Zealand schools. It highlighted the degree to which schools and communities are equipped to deal with these issues; the nature and conduct of the procedures in place to handle the situation and the paramount importance of dealing with the situation in ways that fully supports and affirms the students concerned.