Child Sex Abuse Royal Commission: Victims Condemn Federal Government Opposition to National Support Scheme, Referral of Responsibility to Institutions

By Jessica Kidd
ABC News
March 24, 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-25/commonwealth-doesnt-back-national-support-scheme-abuse-victims/6346102

PHOTO: Justice McClellan said an appropriate redress scheme was needed if survivors were to receive justice. (AAP: Damian Shaw)

A survivor of institutionalised child sexual abuse has condemned the Federal Government for opposing a national support scheme for victims in its submission to a royal commission.

Thirty-eight government and non-government organisations were invited to present spoken submissions to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, to outline their proposals for a redress scheme for survivors of abuse.

The commission released a consultation paper in January which outlined a number of options for redress, including a single national scheme led by the Commonwealth.

But in a written submission to the royal commission, the Federal Government made it clear it did not support that option because of the significant time and resources it would require.

"The Commonwealth does not see itself as having a role as funder of last resort," commission Chair Justice Peter McClellan said.

Justice McClellan went on to say the Federal Government's view was that the institutions responsible should foot the bill.

"The Commonwealth submits that the royal commission should make recommendations that institutions must accept the legal, financial and moral responsibility for failing to protect children," he said.

Nicky Davis from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said the Commonwealth was shirking its responsibility to victims.

"What the Government was saying this morning to survivors was that they would prefer us to suffer in silence, to not reveal their shortcomings, to not make them face their financial responsibilities," she said.

"That's just not acceptable to survivors. I think that we'll see survivors banding together and insisting that this is what we need."

Pressing need for survivor assistance: commission chair

In his opening remarks to the commission, Justice McClellan said an appropriate redress scheme was needed if survivors were to receive justice.

"In our work so far, many institutions have acknowledged that their previous response to survivors has been inadequate," he said.

"Many survivors have a pressing need for assistance, including effective and just redress."

The Coalition of Aboriginal Services said there should be recognition of cultural abuse in any support scheme.

Coalition representative Meena Singh told the commission the institutionalisation of Aboriginal children alone was grounds for redress, regardless of whether they suffered sexual abuse.

"The very act of removal of children meant a breakdown in families, meant a breakdown in traditional languages, meant the inability to observe cultural practices. Ancient traditions were severed," she said.

The commission invited all Australian governments to make submissions to its latest inquiry.

All but two governments, Queensland and the ACT, accepted the invitation to make written submissions to the commission.

But just three governments, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, have chosen to present spoken submissions to the commission.

The inquiry will run for the next three days.