AUSTRALIA
The Guardian
Australian Associated Press
Thursday 26 March 2015
The Law Council of Australia has backed a national redress scheme for abuse survivors and says the commonwealth has the mechanisms to establish one.
Duncan McConnel, the president of the society which represents 60,000 Australian lawyers, says it is possible for the states and territories to refer power to the commonwealth.
In its response to the child sexual abuse royal commission, the federal government has said running a national scheme would be too complex and it does not have the power to set one up.
McConnel said the commonwealth had demonstrated the ability to develop and support a redress scheme through the establishment of the defence abuse response team. The defence force model provided a holistic approach incorporating reparation payments and restorative justice, he said.
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