Redress
Since AFA began, we have lobbied for a national redress scheme. Despite our efforts, the scheme announced in 2018 remains limited to those who experienced sexual abuse. We continue to advocate for expanded eligibility.
There has been some progress; various redress schemes were established in Australia, most notably by the governments of Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania, and by past providers.
Victoria is the latest state to offer redress. There is still no redress scheme in New South Wales.
National Redress Scheme
The National Redress Scheme is for people who experienced child sexual abuse while in an institution. It helps people access redress and can connect them to free confidential Redress Support Services.
The scheme began on 1 July 2018 and will run for 10 years. You can make an application any time between now and 30 June 2027.
Resources are available to support people with disability and carers of people with disability.
Redress for historical institutional abuse in Victoria
From December 2024, the Victorian Government is offering redress for Victorians who experienced abuse and neglect as children in institutions before 1990. It was set up to recognise and acknowledge what happened, and the harm caused. Applications are expected to be open for 18 months.
To apply, you must have:
- lived as a child (before the age of 18) in a Victorian institution for at least 6 months (in total) before 1 January 1990
- experienced physical, psychological, or emotional abuse or neglect in the Victorian institution.
Redress includes a payment of up to $20,000, a personal acknowledgment or apology and counselling. Eligible people will be able to choose one or all these options.
If you need help to apply for redress, you can ask someone you trust to help with the application form. Support is available to applicants, at any stage of the process. There are free and confidential redress support services available to help you.
The Territories Stolen Generations redress scheme
The Territories Stolen Generations Redress Scheme was announced in 2021. The Scheme ‘seeks to recognise the harm and trauma experienced by Stolen Generations survivors’.
The Territories Stolen Generations Redress Scheme is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were children when removed from their families and communities, in:
- Northern Territory before 1 July 1978
- Australian Capital Territory before 11 May 1989
- Jervis Bay Territory
The Scheme offers redress payments of up to $75,000, a healing assistance payment of $7000 and a personal acknowledgement if the applicant wishes.
The Scheme is administered by the National Indigenous Australians Agency. The Scheme is due to run for 5 years and applications can be submitted until 28 February 2026.
Expired state redress schemes
South Australia
South Australia established an ex-gratia payment policy in response to the 2008 Children in State Care Commission of Inquiry (also known as the Mullighan Inquiry). This package was established in 2010. As of 2014, some 85 applicants were considered eligible for payments between $30,000 and $50,000.
Queensland
In May 2007, in response to the recommendations of the Forde Inquiry, the Queensland Government established the $100 million Redress Scheme to acknowledge the abuse or neglect suffered by children placed in Queensland institutions by providing ex-gratia payments to those who were harmed.
Applications for a payment under the scheme opened 1 October 2007 and closed 30 September 2008. More than 10,200 applications were received by the closing date, with over 7,400 applications assessed as eligible for payment under the scheme. The scheme was finalised in June 2010.
Tasmania
The state government rolled out the Abuse in State Care compensation scheme between July 2003 and February 2013, paying out more than $54 million in ex-gratia payments to 1800 survivors.
Western Australia
The Redress WA scheme was established by the Government of Western Australia to acknowledge and apologise to adults who, as children, were abused and/or neglected while they were in the care of the state. It ran from 2008 to 31 December 2011.
The Redress WA scheme ran from 2008 to 31 December 2011. When Redress WA commenced it was announced that the payments would go up to $80,000, however they were reduced in 2009 to $45,000. In total, 5,212 payments totalling $117,740,167 were made from 5,225 offers.