The Government plans to pass a law making it harder for state abuse survivors with a history of violent or serious offending to access redress – something a lawyer and survivor advocate describes as “unjust, discriminatory, and contrary to the principles of trauma-informed, survivor-focused redress”.
This is despite overwhelming evidence, including in the reports from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into State Abuse, that there is a strong link between the abuse suffered by these people at the hands of the state and subsequent offending.
At the same time, the Redress System for Abuse in Care Bill, which was introduced to Parliament on Monday as part of the coalition’s $774 million redress scheme, also explicitly provides legal cover for state agencies when they apologise to survivors who suffered while under their care.
This comes as the Government’s redress scheme is being tested in court, with Lake Alice survivor Malcolm Richards continuing his court battle alleging the scheme fails to provide fair and proper redress as required by international law.
Labour’s spokesperson for children, Willow-Jean Prime, says she’s concerned the bill doesn’t follow the redress recommendations of the Royal Commission, adding that it hadn’t been designed with input and collaboration from survivors. These concerns are echoed by the Green Party, and expert lawyers who have worked with more than 1400 survivors of state and faith-based abuse.
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