Child Abuse Victims to Have Free Legal Advice for Royal Commission

ABC
April 2, 2013

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2013/s3728475.htm

The full cost of the Royal Commission is yet to be revealed and it will be determined in part by the length of the inquiry.

The Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has announced that child abuse victims giving evidence will have access to a free legal advice service.

It will help people put together submissions to the Royal Commission and provide advice on the options they may have to pursue civil or criminal action.

Mark Dreyfus spoke to Anna Henderson after last night's Cabinet meeting in Canberra.

MARK DREYFUS: This is a very, very large royal commission and its exact scale is going to start to become clear when the commission holds its first hearing in Melbourne.

ANNA HENDERSON: What is the significance of providing free legal advisory services for people who are engaging with the Royal Commission?

MARK DREYFUS: It's going to be there to provide people with legal and procedural advice on important issues such as how they go about preparing a submission to the Royal Commission, how they give evidence, what ways they can participate in the hearings.

As well, this free legal advisory service is going to make sure that people have advice on their legal options - not just how they can engage with the Royal Commission but civil law options, criminal law options and of course giving them face-to-face advice, a bit like a duty lawyer, if they are appearing in the Royal Commission.

ANNA HENDERSON: One of the biggest concerns that has been raised, particularly by victims in support groups, is about whether there is enough support for people who do come forward and re-live those experiences.

What is the Federal Government doing to assist people who are making that choice to come forward and go back over old ground that might be very difficult for them?

MARK DREYFUS: We understand how difficult this process is. We understand the need for people to be supported. The arrangements to make sure that people are supported are still being worked through. It's something the Royal Commission is very concerned about it. It's something the Government is very concerned about.

ANNA HENDERSON: And has the special investigative unit already started work? Has it been able to produce anything at this stage?

MARK DREYFUS: We'll get a much better sense from this hearing that the Royal Commission is conducting in Melbourne of the shape of the Royal Commission and how they see the hearings unfolding across the country.

ANNA HENDERSON: Mark Dreyfus, you're a Cabinet Minister. Is it now incumbent on the Prime Minister, the Treasurer or the Finance Minister to come forward and make the details of the superannuation plans for the budget clear?

MARK DREYFUS: I'd make the point that the Government has announced nothing in relation to changes to the superannuation system…

ANNA HENDERSON: But ministers have talked about the fabulously wealthy, ministers have talked about potentially targetting the rich and those comments have worried people in the community.

MARK DREYFUS: I'd again make the point: the Government has announced absolutely nothing. There were some substantial changes introduced in last year's budget and I think there's a bit of confusion perhaps bound up with what they were.

But I'd ask people to just wait until the Government does make an announcement about what the changes actually are rather than huge amounts of speculation that we're seeing all over the place, most of it without any foundation.

ANNA HENDERSON: On top of the concerns raised by the superannuation industry, the ABC understands that the mining industry is starting a new round of advertising on commercial and pay TV. How damaging will that be to Labor?

MARK DREYFUS: Well I don't know what the advertisements are going to say. But again, you can expect in the lead-up to any budget, interest groups, people with special cases to make to be putting forward those cases with as much vigour as they can in an effort to get the Government to see things their way.

We've got- but our interest as a national government is to look after the whole of Australia. It's to look after all groups in Australian society. That's what we'll be doing in this budget.

TONY EASTLEY: The Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus speaking to Anna Henderson in Canberra.