Add Category
Updated
Thousands of survivors of child sexual abuse in New South Wales and Victoria will soon get access to up to $150,000 compensation, after a breakthrough in negotiations on a National Redress Scheme.
Payments would be accessible from July along with counselling and a formal acknowledgement from the responsible institution.
The redress scheme was one of the key recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse but negotiations with the states have been prolonged and at one point were privately said to have "stalled".
Social Services Minister Dan Tehan said the agreement with the two biggest states was a "giant step" towards a truly national redress scheme.
"Concessions were made across the board, some by the Commonwealth some by the state and territory governments," he said.
The announcement covers 9,000 people abused in New South Wales government institutions and 5,000 abused in Victoria and they will get access to payments even if they now live in other states.
Other states invited to get involved
The royal commission recommended payments of up to $200,000 and an average payment of $65,000 but the deal struck with NSW and Victoria caps payments at $150,000, although survivors, on average, will receive more.
"We've come up with a scheme where the average payment will be around $11,000 higher, but the maximum payment will only be $150,000," Mr Tehan told AM.
"We think that gets the balance right when it comes to encouraging state and territory governments and institutions to opt into the scheme."
He was hopeful the other states and territories, as well as non-government institutions, would soon sign up as well.
"Now that we've got New South Wales and Victoria on board, I am very confident that the other states and territories will follow and the scheme will stay intact as it is now."
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also urged the other states to sign up.
"We owe it to the survivors for their courage in telling stories they have been too afraid to speak of, often for decades," Mr Turnbull said.
"Now that those stories have been told, now that they are on the record, we must do everything within our power to honour those stories and to act and to make sure that this national tragedy is never repeated.
"We acknowledge that the scheme does not contain every element that every survivor of abuse may wish to see in it, however this is a ground-breaking agreement which will benefit thousands of people."
'Ensures survivors secure recognition'
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said redress is an important part of recognising the impact of child abuse.
"New South Wales has driven the development of the National Redress Scheme hand in hand with the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments to ensure survivors secure recognition and support with the least possible delay and fuss," Ms Berejiklian said.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the deal may finally give survivors the acknowledgement and dignity they have long fought for.
"We acknowledge that the scheme does not contain every element that every survivor of abuse may wish to see in it, however this is a ground-breaking agreement which will benefit thousands of people" he said.
Payments are not available to people convicted of serious crimes or sex offences, but the Social Services Minister says there will be some exemptions.
"One of the things we have decided to do is that, where there are compelling cases where people should be able to access redress if they have a conviction, then on a case by case basis that will be looked at," Mr Tehan said.
Topics: sexual-offences, law-crime-and-justice, politics-and-government, child-abuse, nsw, vic
First posted