Nsw Government Accused of Stalling National Compensation Scheme for Abuse Victims

By Michelle Brown
ABC News
September 23, 2016

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-24/nsw-gov-accused-of-stalling-abuse-compensation-scheme/7873490

The New South Wales Government has been accused of holding up a national $4.8 billion redress scheme for children who suffered abuse in institutions.

The scheme was recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in August last year.

It recommended a national scheme be set up under the auspices of the Commonwealth Government, which would provide the support and back up.

Institutional and other parties would make their contributions to a board of trustees that would run the scheme.

Wayne Chamley, from victims advocacy group Broken Rites, said all the major churches except for the Salvation Army had agreed to contribute to the scheme as required.

"There's no argument among the major religions, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Catholics, they will contribute whatever is required," he said.

"You've got a situation where this compensation scheme can begin very soon, but it's being blocked by the intransigence of the state governments."

Dr Chamley described the New South Wales Government as "the anchor of the resistance".

He said there were a number of sticking points.

They included who would provide redress money if state and faith-based institutions were unable to.

Dr Chamley also believed the states did not want to cede control of matters relating to children, to the Commonwealth.

He said the states and Commonwealth Government were worried the scheme would open the gate to claims from Indigenous people removed from their families, known as the Stolen Generation.

The ABC contacted New South Wales Attorney General Gabrielle Upton for a response.

"Discussions continue with [Ms Upton's] Commonwealth, state and territory counterparts on the establishment of a redress scheme as recommended by the royal commission," her spokeswoman said.

"New South Wales is committed to ensuring consistent, accessible justice for survivors of institutional child abuse."