Child sex abuse: Institutions not in redress scheme named and shamed

Swimming Australia, St Johns Ambulance and some of Australia’s most expensive private schools have been named and shamed for failing to sign up to the national child sex abuse redress scheme. SEE THE FULL LIST

Exlcusive: St Johns Ambulance, Swimming Australia, and Queensland’s most expensive private school are among more than 100 institutions named and shamed today for failing to sign up to the national child sex abuse redress scheme.

It comes as Australia reels from Cardinal George Pell’s conviction for sexually abusing two choirboys.

The groups — who are effectively stopping Australian survivors of horrific abuse from receiving compensation as they delay joining the scheme — were named in a list published online overnight.

Brisbane Grammar, Queensland’s most expensive private school, where “a large number of students” suffered sexual abuse at the hands of paedophile teacher Kevin Lynch between 1973 and 1988, was named as one of 50 institutions that have yet to join the scheme and have given no indication they intend to.

Cardinal George Pell has spent his first night in prison as he awaits sentencing. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

Other organisations named in that category include Tennis NSW, St Johns Ambulance, Swimming Australia, Football NSW, Fairbridge Society and Jehovah’s Witnesses, where more than 1000 children allegedly suffered sexual abuse according to case files provided to the royal commission.

Sydney private school Knox Grammar, where five teachers were convicted of child sex abuse crimes against students, was one of 35 institutes which have not yet joined the scheme but have indicated they will this year.

A further 25 institutions have indicated they intend to join the redress scheme before June 2020.

Meanwhile, survivors of abuse in the Christian Brothers and Marist Brothers institutes are now one step closer to getting redress after the two organisations signed onto the scheme overnight.

It comes as Cardinal Pell spent his first night in prison to await sentencing on March 13 after being found guilty of five child sex offence charges in December.

His conviction was only made public on Tuesday after a suppression order was lifted.

Almost 900 victims who have applied for redress so far are currently “on hold” waiting for compensation because the institutes they suffered in have yet to sign on to the scheme.

Other survivors are waiting for more institutes to join before they apply, a Department of Social Services official told a Senate estimates hearing last week.

It’s expected up to 60,000 people in total could eventually apply for redress.

More than 100 institutions have been named and shamed today for failing to sign up to the national child sex abuse redress scheme.

Social Services Minister Paul Fletcher told News Corp he expected that publicly listing their information would “focus the mind” of institutions still holding out.

“These institutions have had many months and the Australian government has been clear about our expectations,” Mr Fletcher said.

“We will continue to regularly update these lists so that this information is known to survivors and known to the broader community.”

Mr Fletcher said he found Cardinal Pell’s conviction “troubling and shocking”.

Social Services Minister Paul Fletcher. Picture: AAP

“As the Prime Minister said, what it does demonstrate to all of us is that nobody is above the law and the justice system applies to all Australians.”

Just 51 survivors have received compensation since the national redress scheme opened in July out of a total of 2728 people to sign up.

They have received a total of $4 million redress so far with the average payment of about $79,035.

Some have received the maximum payment of $150,000.

Institutions were first warned they would be named and shamed for failing to sign up in December after state and federal ministers agreed to public reporting.

Since then, the number of victims who canhave a claim processed has almost tripled to 927.

Department of Social Services secretary Kathryn Campbell wrote to institutions again last week warning them they would be publicly named.

Mr Fletcher said yesterday the Christian Brothers, Marist Brothers, and the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide had now signed onto the scheme, along with the Baptist Churches of Western Australia and Tasmania, Moore Theological College Council, and the St Andrew’s House Corporation.

Institutions that have not yet joined the Scheme:

Anglican Diocese of Bathurst - Intending to join, Fourth quarter of 2019

Anglican Diocese of Bunbury - Intending to join, First quarter of 2019

Anglican Diocese of Canberra Goulburn - Intending to join, Second quarter of 2019

Anglican Diocese of Gippsland - Intending to join, Second quarter of 2019

Anglican Diocese of Grafton - Intending to join, First quarter of 2019

Anglican Diocese of Melbourne - Intending to join, First quarter of 2019

Anglican Diocese of Newcastle - Intending to join, First quarter of 2019

Anglican Diocese of North Queensland - Intending to join, Fourth quarter of 2019

Anglican Diocese of Riverina - Intending to join, Fourth quarter of 2019

Anglican Diocese of Sydney - Intending to join, First quarter of 2019

Anglican Diocese of Tasmania - Intending to join, First quarter of 2019

Anglican Diocese of The Murray - Intending to join, Fourth quarter of 2019

Anglican Diocese of Wangaratta - Intending to join, Second quarter of 2019

Australian Christian Churches - Intending to join, Second quarter of 2019

Australian Institute of Music - Intending to join

Australian Indigenous Ministries

Baptists NSW/ACT

Baptists NT - Intending to join, Third quarter of 2019

Baptists QLD

Baptists SA - Intending to join, Second quarter of 2019

Baptists VIC

Barnardos Australia - Intending to join, Second quarter of 2019

Brisbane Grammar

Catholic - Augustinians – Order of Saint Augustine

Catholic - Australian Ursulines - Intending to join, Third quarter of 2019

Catholic - Benedictine Community of New NorciaIntending to join

Catholic - Brigidine Sisters, Intending to join - Second quarter of 2020

Catholic - Blessed Sacrament Fathers

Catholic - Capuchin Franciscan Friars, Intending to join, Third quarter of 2019

Catholic - Columban Fathers – St Columban’s Mission Society, Intending to join

Catholic - Cistercian Monks

Catholic - Daughters of Charity

Catholic - Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion

Catholic - Dominican Province of the Assumption (Dominican Friars), Intending to join

Catholic - Dominican Sisters of Eastern Australia and Solomon Islands, Intending to join

Catholic - Eparchy of St Peter and Paul of Melbourne

Catholic - Faithful Companions of Jesus

Catholic – Franciscan Friars, Intending to join

Catholic - Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus

Catholic - Good Samaritan Education- Intending to join, Third quarter of 2019

Catholic - Good Samaritan Sisters – Institute of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan of the order of St Benedict, Intending to join, Third quarter of 2019

Catholic - Good Shepherd Sisters – Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd (Sisters of the Good Shepherd), Intending to join, Second quarter of 2019

Catholic - Loreto Sisters - Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Catholic - MercyCare WA, Intending to join

Catholic - Missionaries of God’s Love, Intending to join

Catholic - Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Intending to join

Catholic - Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception

Catholic - Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart

Catholic - Missionary Society of St Paul - Intending to join

Catholic - Norbertine Canons – Canons Regular of Premontre - Intending to join

Catholic - Order of Brothers of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt Carmel (Camelites)

Catholic - Order of Friars Minor Conventual

Catholic - Passionist Fathers - Intending to join, Second quarter of 2019

Catholic - Patrician Brothers – Congregation of the Brothers of St Patrick - Intending to join

Catholic - Presentation Sisters – Queensland - Intending to join

Catholic - Presentation Sisters – Victoria - Intending to join, Third quarter of 2019

Catholic - Redemptorists – Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer

Catholic - Resurrection Sisters

Catholic - Salesians of Don Bosco, Intending to join

Catholic - Salvatorian Fathers – Society of the Divine Saviour

Catholic - Scalabrinians – Pious Society of St Charles, Intending to join - Fourth quarter of 2019

Catholic - Secular Institute of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary

Catholic - Servite Friars – Order of Servants of Mary

Catholic - Sisters of Charity of Australia - Intending to join

Catholic - Sisters of Mercy – North Sydney - Intending to join, Second quarter of 2019

Catholic - Sisters of Mercy Parramatta - Intending to join

Catholic - Sisters of Nazareth

Catholic - SDC Brothers – Society of Christian Doctrine

Catholic - Sister of St Joseph (Lochinvar)Intending to joinThird quarter of 2019

Catholic - Society of Catholic Apostolic Australia (Pallottine Fathers and Brothers or Pallottine Community)Intending to join

Catholic - Society of the Divine Word - Intending to join, Third quarter of 2019

Catholic - Society of Saint Vincent de Paul - Intending to join, Third quarter of 2019

Catholic - St John of God Brothers, also known as the Hospitaller Order of St John of God (the Hospitallers) - Intending to join Second quarter of 2019

Catholic - The Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family

Catholic - Vincentians – The Congregation of the Mission (Vincentian Fathers) - Intending to join Second quarter of 2019

CAFS - Children and Family Services Ballarat - Intending to join

Church of England Boys’ Society

Churches of Christ institutions in Australia

Disability Trust and Interchange Shoalhaven

Fairbridge Society

Football NSW

Gold Coast Family Support Group (now FSG Australia)

Hunter Aboriginal Children’s Services (HACS)

Jehovah’s Witnesses

Knox Grammar School - Intending to join, First quarter of 2019

Lutheran Church of Australia Inc.

North Coast Children’s Home

Presbyterian Church ACT

Presbyterian Church NSW

Presbyterian Church NT

Presbyterian Church SA

Presbyterian Church TAS

Presbyterian Church VIC - Intending to join

Presbyterian Church WA

RG Dance Pty Ltd

Satyanada Yoga Ashram

Seventh Day Adventist - Intending to join

Scouts ACTIntending to join *

Scouts NTIntending to join *

Scouts QLDIntending to join *

Scouts TASIntending to join *

St Johns Ambulance

Swimming Australia

Tennis NSW

The Hutchins School - Intending to join First quarter of 2019

The King’s School, Parramatta

The Legacy Clubs in Australia

(The Legacy Club of Brisbane is participating)

Uniting Church in Australia - Intending to join First quarter of 2019

Yeshiva Centre and the Yeshiva College Bondi

Yeshivah Centre and the Yeshivah College Melbourne - Intending to join

*These Scouts organisations have commenced joining the Scheme and are still completing the process.

Originally published as Child sex abuse: Institutions not in redress scheme named and shamed