Child Sex Abuse: States, Territories Challenge George Brandis on Redress Scheme
By Jane Lee
The states and territories have challenged Commonwealth Attorney-General George Brandis to say whether the Turnbull government will support a $4.01 billion national redress scheme for survivors of child sexual abuse. The Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse recommended last week, on the day Mr Turnbull ousted Tony Abbott as prime minister, that the federal government set up a scheme for about 60,000 survivors across Australia. Attorneys-general of all states and territories except the Northern Territory said in a joint letter to Senator Brandis on Friday that the commission had "identified a clear role" for the federal government in the redress scheme, including giving it a deadline of the end of 2015 to announce whether it would establish a national scheme. While institutions where historic child abuse occurred should bear most of the redress cost, the commission said in its report that federal, state and territory governments should cover any shortfall as "funders of last resort". It estimated that this would be about $613 million, or 15 per cent of total redress funding "The Commonwealth's response will have significant ramifications for the states and territories," the attorneys-general said. "Accordingly, we request the earliest possible indication from the Commonwealth as to whether it intends to establish and fund a national redress scheme." The federal government previously rejected the notion of a national scheme in a submission to the commission by the Government Solicitor, claiming it would be complex and require too many resources. It questioned whether the federal government had legal authority to establish such a scheme, and said responsibility for redress should fall on institutions. The commission left it open to both levels of government to negotiate how much they would contribute. If the federal government was unwilling to support the recommendation, the royal commission proposed each state and territory government establish separate redress schemes as the "next best option for ensuring justice for survivors". It is unknown what position each of the states and territories will take on these issues. "We look forward to your confirmation as soon as possible and further discussions with you on this important issue," the letter, signed by NSW Attorney-General Gabrielle Upton, Victorian Attorney-General Martin Pakula, South Australian Attorney-General John Rau, Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D'Arth, Tasmanian Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin, ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell and West Australian Attonrey-General Michael Mischin, said. Liberal and Labor attorneys-general also united against Senator Brandis in March, urging him to reverse planned cuts to legal aid commissions, community legal centres, and Aboriginal legal services amid growing pressure from lawyers' groups. They criticised the cuts to free legal help for disadvantaged Australians as "short-sighted and ill-conceived". Senator Brandis backed down weeks later, restoring $25.5 million to legal assistance services over two years. The report also recommended that the federal government remove any restrictions on the number of counselling sessions for survivors under the scheme and expand the range of Medicare-funded psychological services. The attorneys-general said that the Northern Territory had not contributed "due to the timing of [its] cabinet process." A spokesman for Senator Brandis said: "The Government is carefully considering the Royal Commission's recommendations and will consult with state and territory colleagues before we commit to a response."
|
.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.