National Redress Scheme – Update

This is the National Redress Scheme (the Scheme) update. It includes details on new institutions that have been named as declining to participate in the Scheme, a recap of the Truth, Healing and Reconciliation Taskforce forum recently held in Brisbane, the Scheme’s data regarding application processing and an update on participating institutions.

The update contains material that could be confronting or distressing. Sometimes words or images can cause sadness or distress or trigger traumatic memories, particularly for people who have experienced past abuse or childhood trauma.

Support is available to help you if you need it. To find out more, go to
www.nationalredress.gov.au/support.

If you need immediate support, 24-hour telephone assistance is available through:

New Institutions declining to participate in the Scheme

All institutions where the sexual abuse of children occurred must be held accountable. When the Scheme receives an application that mentions a previously unnamed institution, that institution has six months from the Scheme’s first formal contact with them to join the Scheme.

From 30 August 2023, the following two sporting institutions have been added to the list of other institutions that have declined to join the Scheme, are:

  • Tamworth Basketball Association
  • De La Salle Junior Rugby League Football Club.

In addition to being named as declining to participate in the Scheme, these sporting institutions are now ineligible to access future Australian Government funding until they choose to participate. Affected applicants have been notified, and the Scheme will continue to encourage these institutions to join.

Free Support Services are available in each State and Territory. These can be accessed via Redress Support Services by State or Territory | National Redress Scheme.

Truth, Healing and Reconciliation Taskforce forum

On Wednesday 30 August, representatives from the Scheme attended a forum on the Truth, Healing and Reconciliation Taskforce (the Taskforce) in Brisbane.

The Taskforce was established by the Queensland Government on 3 September 2018. It enables those who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse, as well as support services and other organisations, to share their views with the Queensland Government.

The Taskforce's purpose is to raise awareness of institutional child sexual abuse and its impacts, implement changes that will protect children, and provide a holistic response to support, justice and healing for people with lived experience across Queensland. It also provides advice on a grants program for activities that contribute to truth, healing and reconciling histories.

The forum brought together Taskforce members, support services and forum attendees to learn more about the Scheme, how to engage with it and ways to access support. It included a panel discussion on stories, impacts and recommendations moving forward, including options available after someone receives an offer of redress.

It was also an opportunity for the Scheme to engage directly with frontline community services, sharing knowledge and receiving positive feedback on its suite of new communication materials. These materials provide accessible and diverse information about applying for Redress. Frontline services can use in their offices or when conducting outreach activities.

Scheme Data

As at 15 September 2023, there have been 30,680 applications to the Scheme. We have contacted 14,505 applicants to advise them of the outcome of their application.

Of all applications:

  • 13,532 have been finalised (determined as either eligible or ineligible, with offers of Redress either accepted or declined)
  • 12,762 payments have been made totalling approximately $1.133 billion dollars
  • 1,122 have been withdrawn by the applicant
  • 16,026 applications are on hand with the Scheme, of which:
    • 852 are with applicants, awaiting a decision on their offer of Redress
    • 1,504 are with institutions, awaiting a response to a Request For Information
    • 4,507 are on hold (for reasons such as at the request of the applicant; where further information has been requested from the applicant; where there is difficulty contacting the applicant or due to a non-participating institution)
    • 9,163 are in progress with the Scheme, of which:
      • 7,018 are being actioned
      • 2,145 are temporarily unable to be actioned (for reasons such as awaiting contact from the applicant, or awaiting extra information).

Participating institutions update

The Government encourages all institutions who have a history of interacting with children to sign up to the Scheme as soon as possible.

When a new institution joins the Scheme or the status of a participating institution changes, the Minister signs a Declaration which is an official list of all participating institutions. As of Declaration 5 of 2023, signed by the Minister on 22 August 2023:

  • all Commonwealth and State and Territory government institutions and 496 non government institutions are now participating in the Scheme.
  • approximately 69,000 sites across Australia are now covered by the Scheme.
  • approximately 106 unique institutions have been declared under the Funder of Last Resort (FOLR) arrangements.
    • These institutions are defunct and the Commonwealth and/or relevant state governments are the FOLR.

The Declarations are available on the Federal Register of Legislation:

For the latest information about institutions, visit our website:

https://www.nationalredress.gov.au/institutions.

Find out more

For further information about the Scheme, go to www.nationalredress.gov.au or call 1800 737 377 Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm AET from Australia or +61 2 6222 3455 from overseas.

For regular updates about the Department of Social Services and the Scheme, you can ‘like’ or ‘follow’ the Australian Families Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/FamiliesInAustralia/.