An advocate has warned that victims of child sexual abuse feel “invisible” because of prolonged delays in receiving financial compensation under the national redress scheme.
An update from the federal government on Wednesday revealed only 1,587 payments have been made to victims out of 6,605 applications received since the redress scheme launched two years ago.
Survivor advocate Leonie Sheedy, who heads the Care Leavers Australasia Network and was herself abused, told SBS News waiting for the validation has taken an immense mental toll on many victims.
“We just feel like invisible Australians,” she said.
“Why should we have to wait? We’ve waited all our lives for justice and it’s important that people are paid so that they don’t die without that recognition.”
More than 300 organisations have still not signed up to the scheme, which was a key recommendation from the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse.
Leonie Sheedy says survivors are waiting to long to received compensation under the scheme. Source: AAP
Ms Sheedy condemned those groups who have failed join the compensation program saying they lacked a moral compass.
“You need to be named and shamed and they need to lose their charity tax exemptions - no ifs or buts,” she said.
“I’m over giving these abusive organisations and enablers more time.”
Social Services Minister Anne Ruston has said she will be writing to institutions to warn them that failure to sign up will incur “significant consequences”.
This would include being publicly named, possible financial penalties and changes to their charitable status if they do not join by the end of June.
Minister for Social Services Anne Ruston. Source: AAP
“We will continue to improve the scheme for survivors who we know have been waiting far too long for redress,” Senator Ruston said.
The absence of these institutions means some survivors cannot have their application for redress processed.
Labor is also calling on the federal government to make advance payments to ill and elderly survivors so they do not miss out.
Senator Ruston has promised older or vulnerable Australians in the redress process will have their claims “absolutely prioritised”.
Some 85 institutions have signed up to the scheme since the start of this year, taking the total number of non-government signatories to 185.
Another 325 redress offers have been made but not yet accepted by applicants to the redress scheme.
Labor's social services spokeswoman Linda Burney described the government's handling of the redress process as "nothing short of shameful".
Ms Burney is urging the government to establish an advance payment scheme and lift the cap on payments from $150,000 to $200,000.
"Survivors have waited long enough. Some are dying waiting. It's time for institutions to do the right thing and sign up to the scheme. And it's time for the Morrison government to ensure they do so," Ms Burney said.
Ms Sheedy said she knew of 23 people who have died prior to receiving financial compensation and others who have died within two months of getting the payment.
Labor MP Linda Burney. Source: AAP
She said long delays and the rigours of the application process had already deterred many from taking part in the scheme.
“The royal commission believed us and the redress scheme doesn’t believe us," she said.
“What about the mental health of people waiting for redress?”
It is almost five years since the redress recommendations were released by the royal commission.
The redress scheme currently covers more than 49,000 sites, such as churches, schools, homes, charities and community groups across Australia.
Additional reporting by AAP
