AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald
EDITORIAL
The three concurrent inquiries into institutional child abuse are uncovering terrible suffering and will soon enough prompt calls for fairer measures of compensation. The federal royal commission does not tackle issues of reparations. But admissions by institutions such as the Catholic Church need to be dealt with beyond the inquiries.
Existing laws make it very difficult for victims to use the court system – and it is hardly preferable to have courts jammed with claims that prolong the wait for justice and increase the costs to the community.
This is particularly worrying as legal aid budgets are squeezed, compensation fund payouts limited and the allowable times for making a civil claim shrink.
While many victims will welcome the chance to tell their stories, governments need to co-ordinate a response to compensation. It should not be beyond the wit of governments to serve the needs of victims of crime while protecting the public purse.
Previous legislative attempts relating to the Stolen Generations are instructive.
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