Dozens More Institutions Join Redress Scheme for Abuse Victims

SBS News
March 28, 2019

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/dozens-more-institutions-join-redress-scheme-for-abuse-victims

Another 30 institutions have joined the national redress scheme for institutional child abuse victims.

Social Services Minister Paul Fletcher said the groups joining included 22 Anglican institutions, five Baptist organisations, Scouts Queensland, Sisters of Mercy Parramatta and the Uniting Church in Australia.

"I continue to emphasise the urgency of giving survivors access to redress as soon as they are able," Mr Fletcher said in a statement on Friday.

Minister for Families and Social Services Paul Fletcher.

"The Liberal-National government expects all the institutions where institutional child sexual abuse has occurred to sign up to the national redress scheme as soon as possible."

Applications for redress can only be processed after the relevant institution has joined the scheme, leaving many victims still unable to receive compensation.

"As additional institutions join, more applications can be processed and more survivors of institutional child sexual abuse can access support and acknowledgement through the scheme," Mr Fletcher said.

Speaking about joining the scheme, president of the Uniting Church in Australia Dr Deidre Palmer said "this is the fairest way to ensure survivors are consistently and equitably treated and supported".

"I would also like to repeat once more the sincere apology I and past Uniting Church presidents have made to people who were abused in our care as children." she said.

"I am truly sorry that we didn’t protect and care for you in accordance with our Christian values."

The scheme has come under fire from victims' advocates this week, who say it is traumatising survivors and should be overhauled.

Survivors and their supporters will stage a rally in Melbourne on Sunday calling for significant changes to the $3.8 billion scheme.

Victims' advocates calling for an overhaul of the scheme argue the federal government should start again and implement all of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse in Australian Institutions.

Institutions who joined the scheme

Anglican Church Diocese Bunbury

Anglican Church Diocese of Grafton

Anglican Church Diocese of Gippsland

Anglican Church Diocese of Melbourne

Anglican Church Diocese of Newcastle

Anglican Church Diocese of North Queensland

Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney

Anglican Church Diocese of Tasmania

Anglican Church Diocese of Willochra

Anglican Schools Corporation

Anglicare SA Ltd

Anglicare N.T. Ltd

Baptist Churches of New South Wales and ACT

Baptist Churches of Victoria

Baptist Care NSW & ACT

Baptist Care WA

Baptist Care SA

Brotherhood of St Laurence

Church Missionary Society - Australia Limited

Church Missionary Society Victoria Incorporated

Church Missionary Society - NSW and ACT Limited

Mentone Grammar School

Scouts Queensland

Sisters of Mercy Parramatta

St Columba Anglican School Council

St Michael's Collegiate School

The Council of Macarthur Anglican School ATF Macarthur Anglican School

The Council of Tara Anglican School for Girls

The Hutchins School

The Uniting Church in Australia