PREMIER Predicts $2bn Abuse Compo

7 News
December 6, 2012

http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/15573234/premier-predicts-2bn-abuse-compo/


Premier Colin Barnett thinks the royal commission into child sex abuse may lead to a compensation bill of $2 billion or more.

State premiers met in Canberra today, ahead of a Council of Australian Government meeting on Friday.

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill flagged a State leader's discussion of the terms of reference for the inquiry with Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

"The outcome can't be another set of volumes with a million recommendations to sit on a shelf gathering dust," he said, referring to a South Australian Children in State Care Commission of Inquiry.

"The way it is conducted will be absolutely crucial and we will be passing on our views to the commonwealth."

The Federal Government hopes to release the terms of reference for the Royal Commission some time in December.

Mr Barnett said the final terms of reference for the inquiry was a matter for the Federal Government.

But he predicted it would prove to be "very expensive, very emotional and very difficult for many people".

"Western Australia just completed a similar scheme called Redress, which involved people coming forward telling their stories and getting, if you like, a compensation payment," Mr Barnett said in Canberra.

"That cost $140 million in WA alone and it was a fairly limited scope.

"Translate that across Australia and this royal commission will result in calls, probably justifiable calls, for compensation.

"The cost of that is certainly going to be $2 billion or more."