'I was safer on the street' woman tells abuse inquiry

From Checkpoint, 6:17 pm on 21 July 2021

A life of abuse from an early age has been outlined to the inquiry into abuse in care by a woman of Tongan and Palagi descent.

The Royal Commission is focusing on the historical abuse in care of Pacific people at its hearing in South Auckland.

Growing up, Joanna Oldham was unaware of her Tongan ethnicity or culture.

Our reporter Andrew McRae has some of her story.