NSW government to speed up response to child sex abuse claims

By Mark Coultan
Australian
November 3, 2014

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/nsw-government-to-speed-up-response-to-child-sex-abuse-claims/story-fngburq5-1227110835080

THE NSW government has told its agencies not to use the statute of limitations to avoid claims of child abuse, as part of its response to the royal commission into institutional child abuse.

The royal commission has heard the NSW Crown Solicitor’s office pursued a strategy of trying to deny claims on the basis of the passage of time, suggested spying on those making claims, and spent almost $1 million on legal fees before paying about $100,000 in compensation.

The NSW Attorney-General Brad Hazzard said that cultural change was required. Claims would be finalised as quickly as possible with agencies guided by an understanding that litigation could be a traumatic experience.

The government would issue guidelines to its agencies on how to respond to claims for child sexual abuse. The underlining principle would be compassion for the victims, he said.

“The NSW Government recognises the mistakes of the past and is resolved that it should never happen again … we want survivors to get the recognition and assistance they need.”

The Minister for Community Services Gabrielle Upton said that the resources devoted to finding victims’ government records would be doubled, in order to cut delays in their ability to bring claims against the government.

The royal commission has led to a huge increase in applications for access to state records, with 40 new requests a month. It was taking more than 12 months for applicants to get the records, which were held by many different agencies across the state.

The NSW government has also agreed to establish a place of recognition at the Parramatta Girls Home to pay tribute to those who were abused there, as well as a state wide place of recognition.

Ms Bonney Djuric, the founder of support group ParraGirls, noted that half the women who went through the Parramatta Home were Aboriginal.

The announcement was welcomed by Leonie Sheedy, the executive officer of Care Leavers Australia Network.

“The measures announced today show this government has listened to us and is acting.”