Retta Dixon Home victims angry at royal commission findings

Former residents of a missionary home are angry that the commonwealth has not been held liable for their treatment.

Darwin’s Retta Dixon Home, which operated from 1946 to 1980.

Former residents of a missionary home for Aboriginal and Stolen Generation children have expressed anger and disappointment that the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse did not find the commonwealth liable for their treatment.

The commission heard harrowing evidence that former residents of Darwin’s Retta Dixon Home, which operated from 1946 to 1980, had been raped, fondled, beaten and subjected to extraordinary punishments by “house parents” responsible for their care.

In a report released yesterday, following hearings in Darwin late last year, the commission found Australian Indigenous Ministries, which ran the home, failed to meet its obligations, including to protect the children from sexual predators.

The commission also censured former senior crown prosecutor Michael Carey, who is now the NT’s Deputy Chief Magistrate, for a “wrong” recommendation in the early 2000s to drop fresh prosecutions against convicted pedophile Donald Henderson, who at one stage faced almost 80 charges related to his time as a Retta Dixon house parent. But the commission was unable make findings on the basis of information presented to it about whether the commonwealth, which was ultimately responsible for the Retta Dixon Home, failed in its duty of care.

The decision could have implications for future compensation claims, and comes as Bill Piper, a lawyer acting for several of the victims, said AIM had failed to act on a promise to sell property to ­establish a fund to support children abused while in its care.

“AIM ... (is) making it likely there will be a need to file legal proceedings,” he said.

Mr Piper said he was preparing a class action against AIM and the commonwealth involving about 80 claimants, half of whom alleged sexual abuse and virtually all of whom asserted they were victims of some form of severe physical violence.

AIM general director Trevor Leggott did not respond to questions.

Attorney-General John Elferink said the NT was “well equipped to deal with any issues”. He praised Mr Carey as an “excellent magistrate” and said the territory did “what’s necessary to protect children”.