Allegations prominent public servants used young people in Dunedin as underage sex workers were looked into by the commission of inquiry examining abuse.
The inquiry’s report was released this week, and included a section about a confidential separate investigation into claims of organised child sexual abuse or a paedophile ring in the 1980s.
Dunedin and Wellington were mentioned as places where abuse of young people in care by prominent public servants may have happened, and there were further allegations about abuse in Horowhenua and Auckland.
The inquiry said it received evidence that was deeply suspicious, but it was "unable to make a finding that organised abuse of children and young people in state care occurred by groups of people in public positions of influence".
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said anyone with evidence about claims of a paedophile ring involving politicians and civil servants in the 1980s should go to police.
"We want people to come forward to police for any prosecutions or further investigations that's needed, but on that particular issue ... [there were] deep concerns about those allegations, but the royal commission of inquiry itself wasn't able to make a finding on that because there wasn't substantiated evidence," Mr Luxon said.
The government would support investigations being reopened and new prosecutions being taken if needed, he said.
— Additional reporting RNZ
