[4] Ethnic diversity grew after World War II with the arrival of Dutch and other European immigrants, and more recently with Pasifika and Asian migrants.

The word "Aotearoa" became part of the title of the denomination in 1990, affirming the treaty partnership between the indigenous Māori and the subsequent settlers.

[1] The Presbyterian Church is governed by a series of courts (councils) at local, regional and national levels.

[2] According to the 2013 census a significantly higher 8.5 percent of the New Zealand population, or 330,516 adherents, claimed some form of affiliation with the Presbyterian Church.

[7] The Presbyterian Social Services Association (PSSA) – subsequently known as "Support" – began operating in the early 20th century.

[8] In October 2022, Presbyterian Support Otago's (PSO) chief executive Jo O'Neill acknowledged during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care that at least six historical cases of abuse had occurred at its Glendining Presbyterian Children's Homes in Andersons Bay in Dunedin.

O'Neill also testified that records about children housed under PSO's care had been deliberately destroyed by an alleged paedophile ring between 2017 and 2018.

[10] On 5 November, the Presbyterian Church confirmed that it had appointed a King's Counsel to investigate the paedophile ring allegations.

During her childhood, Anna had been raped, drugged, and trafficked among a paedophile ring of PSSA members in Southland, Otago, and Christchurch.

Network of Survivors in Faith-based Institutions spokeswoman Liz Tonks criticised the Presbyterian Church's abuse redress process.

"[13] On 26 July, Cooper Legal partner Sam Benton lodged a formal complaint against the New Zealand Law Society's president Frazer Barton after revelations that he had advised the PSO that it could destroy the records of all children in its care.

Barton told The New Zealand Herald that he had only provided "informal advice" to Bremner and denied advising her to destroy the documents.