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Sexual abuse victims dying before national redress scheme set up, survivor warns

By Annah Fromberg
ABC News
June 4, 2017

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-05/call-for-sexual-abuse-redress-money-in-tasmania/8588034

Tony Rayner is worried time is running out to receive adequate compensation.

Tony Rayner was just seven when he became a boarder at St Virgil's College.

Cassy O'Connor says there is no allocation in the Tasmanian budget or forward estimates.

Tasmanian victims of child sexual abuse in institutional settings will die before they receive redress, authorities have been warned.

A national redress scheme, which was recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, is expected to be up and running next year, but the Tasmanian Government has not set aside any money.

Tasmanian victim Tony Rayner said it was important for the Government to take action.

Mr Rayner gave evidence to the commission and also urged others to come forward.

"There are so many victims who are in their 70s and 80s; there are so many like me who are in their late 60s," he said.

"It's important that these matters be dealt with really soon because the people are dying, the people involved are dying."

Mr Rayner was just seven years old when he was sent to board at St Virgil's College in 1956.

It was there, he said, he was sexually assaulted, raped and abused.

He fears he may not see redress in his lifetime.

"Following the royal commission I felt that that was not an issue," he said.

"But as we've got further on yes, I have started to worry that it'll just become one of those, 'oh let's get things done soon, oh yeah well it's horizon'.

"There's other things that are more important and really this is one of the most important moral issues of our day."

Mr Rayner appeared before the royal commission in a private session in 2014.

The commission has since estimated 1,750 Tasmanians abused in institutional settings may be eligible for civil compensation under a National Redress Scheme.

More than $33 million was committed in the recent federal budget for the scheme, with states and territories all expected to commit funding.

Tasmanian budget snub claim

Greens Leader Cassy O'Connor said she was disappointed the Tasmanian Government neglected the issue in last month's state budget.

"There's been no mention of the state's need to contribute to this national scheme, and there's no allocation across the forward estimates," she said.

"The Tasmanian Government knows it has to make a contribution."

The scheme is expected to be operating by next March, with compensation payments capped at $150,000.

It is expected to cost states $13 million over 10 years.

"It's such a small sum of money to provide a measure of justice to the survivors of past abuse, it's very difficult to understand why they haven't provided this in the budget." Ms O'Connor said.

But Resources Minister Guy Barnett said there were ongoing talks with the Federal Government.

"A proposal has been put forward by the Federal Government, no states have come forward to accept the Government's recommendation at this stage but we look forward to continuing our discussions," he said.

In a statement, the Tasmanian Government said it had also implemented an earlier redress scheme for children abused in state care, making ex gratia payments worth over $54 million.

The scheme operated between 2003 and 2013 and assisted more than 1,800 survivors who were the subject of sexual, physical or emotional abuse.

Goodwin's legacy must be honoured: victim

There is also frustration over the time it is taking the State Government to introduce new laws to remove the statutory time limits on child sexual abuse victims seeking damages.

Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin, who has stepped aside because of terminal cancer, announced the move while in office last November.

Mr Rayner is worried the legislation has been put on the backburner.

"There are always many other issues to deal with and I'd hate to see this one fall by the wayside because it's terribly terribly important to a lot of victims," he said.

He hoped the Government would continue Ms Goodwin's work.

"Vanessa Goodwin was really pushing this issue, it was one of the things she had to do, it's important that her legacy go forward," he said.

"It has to happen and it has to happen soon. It's just really important that it be done and after all we want the courts to be able to look at our cases and make a decision on them."

Acting Attorney-General Matthew Groom expects legislation to be introduced in the Spring session of Parliament.




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