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Call for $4b sex-abuse compo plan
By Patrick Billings
NEARLY $100 million will be needed to compensate and care for Tasmanian victims of child sex abuse perpetrated by the state’s institutions. The royal commission into institutional pedophilia handed down its final report into a redress scheme yesterday. It recommended a $4.01 billion national scheme for 60,000 victims. The commission found compensation and continuing psychological care would cost both government and private institutions in Tasmania an estimated $96 million. This was based on an average payout of $65,000 to the 1750 Tasmanian victims who have approached the commission, plus $10 million in continuing counselling costs. Tasmania’s contribution to administering a national redress scheme would be an estimated $5 million. Non-government institutions in Tasmania accounted for $73 million of the $81 million in compensation payable to victims and $6 million in counselling costs. Nearly 1200 survivors had been abused by private institutions in Tasmania, with 590 abused while in the care of a government institution. Sexual Assault Support Services chief executive Jill Maxwell said she was pleased the commission recognised various redress options apart from criminal prosecutions, including compensation, personal apologies, counselling and civil litigation. Ms Maxwell backed the need for governments to expand funding levels to support services for survivors, “especially those in outlying areas”. Laurel House counsellor Gardia (surname withheld) said it was important that time limits restricting how long victim counselling was available were removed. “Post-traumatic stress isn’t something that stops after a short intervention — it is a much more lifelong thing,” she said. A short statement was issued by The Hutchins School, where students were sexually abused in the 1960s at the hands of principal David Ralph Lawrence and other teachers. “The Hutchins School will continue to co-operate fully with and assist the royal commission and will consider the commission’s Redress and Civil Litigation Report released today,” school board member David Morris said. The school reiterated its apology and said it continued to offer independent counselling to former students who had been sexually abused. The State Government, which has advised against a national scheme, said it would consider the commission’s recommendations. From 2003 to 2013, the government’s Abuse in Care program paid out nearly $55 million to people abused as children in state care. Key recommendations A $4 BILLION national scheme by July 2017 to redress institutional child sexual abuse victims. GOVERNMENTS to pick up any funding that can’t be met by institutions. COUNSELLING and psychological care victims to be available throughout a survivor’s life. MINIMUM payouts of $10,000, a maximum payout of $200,000 for the most severe case and an average payment of $65,000 to victims. NO fixed closing date for the national scheme. NO confidentiality agreements imposed on victims who receive compensation. NO statute of limitations on abuse claims. INSTITUTIONS where the abuse occurred to be responsible for providing compensation.
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