Clerical sex abuse survivors urge adopting redress scheme now

By Kara Irving
Herald Sun
March 6, 2016

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/clerical-sex-abuse-survivors-urge-adopting-redress-scheme-now/news-story/ebef7e40c9bfa3efe149025925292ff4

Survivors Paul Levy, Andrew Collins, Peter Blenkiron, David Risdale and Ballarat deputy mayor Belinda Coates arrive back from Rome. Photo by Hamish Blair

SURVIVORS of clerical sex abuse have called on the federal government to adopt a ­national redress scheme after returning from Rome.

The Ballarat survivors were welcomed by family at Melbourne Airport yesterday after returning from hearing Cardinal George Pell give evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

“We call on the Turnbull government to put into place the redress scheme that the royal commission has put forward,” survivor Andrew Collins said.

“All we need is Malcolm Turnbull to stand up and say he’ll do it. The more he holds off, the more people will die.”

The commission recommended in September last year a national redress scheme to cost $4.3 billion over 10 years. The scheme would be largely funded by institutions where the abuse occurred, with an est­imated 60,000 abuse survivors able to receive payments of $10,000 to $200,000.

Several Ballarat survivors returned unhappy with Cardinal Pell’s evidence.