Queensland sex abuse redress decision ‘imminent’

A Queensland decision on whether to sign up to the commonwealth’s $4bn sex-abuse redress scheme is at hand.

Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad. Picture: AAP.

A Queensland decision on whether to sign up to the commonwealth’s $4bn sex-abuse redress scheme is “imminent,” as the state pushes for survivors who have criminal convictions to be eligible for compensation.

The Australian revealed recently that recalcitrant states Western Australia and Queensland — rather than churches — were looming as the largest roadblock to the adoption of the victim compensation program.

NSW, VIC and the ACT have already announced their support, meaning survivors of child sexual abuse in commonwealth-run institutions in those jurisdictions — such as the Australian Defence Force, cadet schools and onshore immigration detention — will be able to access psychological counselling, an apology, and a monetary payment of up to $150,000.

Once states sign up, that means they also promise to pay redress for people who were abused in their care. The federal government is also pressing for churches, charities and other non-government organisations to sign up to the program, which can only happen once their home state opts in.

Queensland’s Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said a decision by the government was “imminent” but would not say exactly when an announcement would be made.

State and federal government sources have confirmed Queensland is advocating for some abuse survivors who also have criminal convictions to be eligible for redress, rather than outright banned, as had been advocated by federal Attorney-General Christian Porter.

A spokesman for Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said state officials had been working “intensely” with other state governments and the commonwealth since the national scheme was announced in late 2016.

“The Queensland Government has been aware of stakeholder concerns with aspects of the scheme, and has been working to ensure the scheme would meet the needs of Queenslanders, and will provide, to the greatest extent possible, equal access and equal treatment as the Royal Commission envisaged,” he said.

Australian Social Services Minister Dan Tehan. Picture: AAP.

Federal social services minister Dan Tehan said he was open to scrapping a blanket ban on survivors with serious criminal convictions.

“As part of the negotiations with the states and territories, we are exploring a mechanism where eligibility for the redress scheme for people with serious criminal convictions will be decided on a case-by-case basis, rather than a blanket ban,” Mr Tehan said.

He said the ongoing negotiations with Queensland were “productive” and were being “conducted in good faith”.

“The federal government wants all states and territories to sign up to the redress scheme before 1 July so we can have a truly national scheme that covers as many people as possible,” Mr Tehan said.

If a survivor of institutional child sexual abuse is successful in receiving redress through the scheme, they will no longer be able to make a compensation claim against the institution through the courts.

The scheme will run for 10 years, and will only pay redress to survivors of child sexual abuse in institutions that joined the program.

The Australian reported last week that the Catholic Church was working behind the scenes to opt in to the national scheme, but their efforts were being complicated by the delay in some states.