Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

• Calls for law reform to fix two-tier system of justice for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse

  13th Nov 2024

  Lawyers representing survivors of institutional child sexual abuse are calling on governments across Australia to reform the law to ensure equal justice for all survivors of institutional abuse, following the High Court decision in Bird v DP (a pseudonym) [2024] HCA 41 handed down today.

• GLJ High Court decision may lead to fairer outcomes for abuse survivors

  1st Nov 2023

  Fair compensation for survivors of historical child sexual abuse is more likely following the decision handed down today by the High Court of Australia in the case of GLJ v the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Lismore.

• Urgent action needed to fix Blue Card system and the regulation of childcare centres

  15th Aug 2023

  Urgent action is needed to tighten both the Queensland Blue Card system and the regulation of childcare centres, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Legal immunity for aged care providers must be removed from aged care bill: will strip residents of their rights

  1st Aug 2022

  Aged care advocates and lawyers are calling on politicians to urgently remove the clause in the proposed aged care legislation ­– the Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response) Bill 2022 ­– that provides civil and criminal immunity to aged care providers.

• NSW barrister wins national Civil Justice Award

  8th Mar 2022

  A NSW barrister who is a passionate advocate for the rights of those who have suffered injury and abuse within institutions has received the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) 2021 Civil Justice Award.

• Reform of NSW child sex abuse laws welcome

  10th Nov 2021

  New laws in NSW that allow courts to set aside unfair settlements in child sexual abuse matters are very welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Proposed child abuse compensation laws in NSW give survivors some hope of justice

  2nd Sep 2021

  A proposed amendment to the NSW Civil Liability Act will enable courts to set aside unfair settlements involving survivors of institutional child abuse. Con Ktenas discusses fairer compensation for victims, eliminating legal barriers to compensation, and the introduction of advance child abuse compensation payouts.

• Urgent action needed to ensure fair redress for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

  30th Jun 2021

  Urgent changes must be made to the National Redress Scheme legislation to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people receive fair and equal access to compensation, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

• Developments in institutional liability for sexual assault: SMA v John XXIII College (No.2) [2020] ACTSC 211

  27th Aug 2020

  Angela Sdrinis discusses the recent case of SMA v John XXIII College (No.2) [2020] ACTSC 211, which explored the liability of a university residential college for a sexual assault. The case shows that in some circumstances the common law is evolving to recognise that institutions should be held liable for the intentional torts of another person (even if they are not an employee) against vulnerable adults.

• NSW laws to limit payouts to prisoners must not apply to victims of child sexual abuse

  4th May 2020

  NSW legislation that restricts the ability of offenders to recover personal injury payouts from prisons must not be allowed to apply to the victims of child sexual abuse, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Failure to sign up to redress scheme should mean loss of charitable status: ALA

  31st Mar 2020

  If an institution is named as being responsible for abuse and it chooses not to participate in the National Redress Scheme it should lose its charitable status, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Justice for survivors of institutional child abuse: how the NSW vicarious liability amendments shape up

  21st Nov 2019

  Andrew Morrison RFD SC examines whether the reforms enacted by the Civil Liability Amendment (Organisational Child Abuse Liability) Act 2018 (NSW) will deliver the promised pathways for justice to survivors of child abuse in institutional settings.

• The other side of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

  14th Nov 2019

  Tom Percy QC shares his concerns about the perceived shift in community attitudes towards a presumption of guilt for individuals charged with historical sexual abuse offences, particularly where an alleged offence took place in an institutional setting. He contends that an accused person should have an unconditional right to elect a trial by judge alone.

• Victoria must now act on Pell's Melbourne Response compensation scheme

  7th Mar 2019

  Dimi Ioannou calls for reform of the Victorian sexual abuse compensation scheme, particularly in light of George Pell's recent conviction. 

• Comment on National Apology

  22nd Oct 2018

  “As the Government officially apologises to the many people who have suffered as a result of institutional sexual assault, we also acknowledge their pain and their courage,” said Ms Noor Blumer, President, Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Amendments to National Redress Scheme essential to ensure fair access to justice

  10th Oct 2018

  Amendments to the National Redress Scheme are required to ensure that all survivors of abuse have fair access to justice, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Institutions will be held liable for abuse ‘on their watch’, thanks to new civil litigation laws

  26th Sep 2018

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the new NSW civil litigation laws which will remove barriers that have prevented child sexual abuse survivors receiving justice.

• Maternal rights must be recognised for the sake of children

  5th Jul 2018

  Anna Kerr and Darelle Duncan discuss the move in NSW towards an increase in permanent adoption from foster care placements, and the negative implications this will have for children's welfare and maternal rights.

• ALA welcomes improved access to justice for child sexual abuse survivors

  12th Jun 2018

  NSW has advanced the position of victims significantly by adopting legal changes that will apply retrospectively and will improve access to justice for abuse survivors, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA), commenting on the announcement made by the NSW government on the weekend.

• Limited access to National Redress Scheme is just not fair, says Australian Lawyers Alliance

  30th May 2018

  People with past criminal convictions or abused in immigration detention should not be denied access to redress payments under the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sex Abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• C'wealth chooses its balance sheet over compensation for abuse survivo

  29th Mar 2018

  The Department of Home Affairs has pushed to exclude non-citizens from any eligibility for redress for institutional child abuse as it says its ‘financial exposure to liability under the Redress Scheme is likely to increase significantly’, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• Many NSW, VIC survivors of institutional child abuse blocked from just

  9th Mar 2018

  Unnecessarily strict eligibility requirements mean that many of the most vulnerable survivors of institutional child abuse in New South Wales and Victoria will miss out on accessing the Commonwealth’s Redress Scheme, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Catholic Church defence of child abuse claim flies in face of justice

  11th Dec 2017

  The Catholic Church’s vigorous court defence of claims of historical child sexual abuse has exposed its earlier promises not to exploit legal technicalities as completely worthless, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Child abuse redress scheme is welcome, but needs improvement

  26th Oct 2017

  The Federal government’s proposed redress scheme for survivors of institutional child abuse will be welcomed by the community, however it needs improvement to provide justice for all people affected, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Child abuse RC report into criminal justice helpful but falls short in

  15th Aug 2017

  The recommendations contained in the report into criminal justice released yesterday by the Royal Commission into institutional child abuse are helpful in many respects but have fallen short in some key areas, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• National law reform needed to guarantee justice for survivors of child

  17th Mar 2017

  Comprehensive law reform is urgently required to ensure that survivors of child abuse are not unfairly prevented from accessing compensation, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• QLD govt must join national redress scheme for child abuse survivors

  24th Feb 2017

  The Queensland Government must publicly commit to opting in to the Federal Government’s redress scheme for survivors of institutional child abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Lawyers welcome removal of time limits for Qld child abuse claims

  2nd Aug 2016

  ALA Queensland President Michelle James has welcomed new Queensland legislation to remove time limits on institutional abuse claims, saying it will give survivors renewed hope that they can access justice.

• Time limits must be removed on Qld abuse claims: ALA

  25th Jul 2016

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today supported calls for the removal of time limits on institutionalised abuse claims in Queensland.

• QLD must act to remove time limits on legal claims for survivors of in

  10th May 2016

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today thrown its support behind calls within the legal industry for Queensland to remove time limits on legal claims for survivors of institutionalised abuse.

• Catholic Church’s position on Ellis contradicts earlier promises

  24th Nov 2015

  The refusal of a Catholic bishop to rule out using the Ellis Defence as a legal tactic against victims of child abuse directly contradicts earlier Catholic Church pronouncements that it would take responsibility for the conduct of its clergy, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• NSW and VIC govts applauded for supporting national redress scheme

  6th Nov 2015

  The New South Wales and Victorian governments are to be congratulated for being the first states to support a national compensation scheme for victims of institutional child sexual abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• NSW govt applauded for plan to abolish child abuse limitation periods

  5th Nov 2015

  A commitment by the New South Wales government to abolish limitation periods for victims of child sexual abuse to seek compensation for personal injury is a welcome development in the fight to bring justice and closure for victims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• New hope for justice for victims of institutional child abuse

  16th Oct 2015

  A Bill proposing to abolish limitation periods for victims of institutional child abuse to seek justice in New South Wales is a welcome development in the fight to bring closure for victims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• NSW Bill removing time limits for child abuse litigation is welcome

  18th Sep 2015

  Amendments introduced into the NSW Parliament by NSW MP David Shoebridge would remove a significant barrier obstructing access to justice for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Vic Govt applauded: historic day for institutional child abuse victims

  1st Jul 2015

  The Victorian Parliament is to be congratulated for leading the nation in its response to institutional child abuse by introducing legislation removing limitation periods for victims to seek justice, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• ‘Blind reporting’ of child sex allegations won't protect victims

  23rd Jun 2015

  Blind reporting of child sex allegations by the Catholic Church may be protecting abusers and those who knew and failed to act, as well as placing the NSW police service in breach of its obligations to the public and potentially of the criminal law, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Vatican response to bishop failure on sexual misconduct is inadequate

  12th Jun 2015

  The imposition by the Vatican of a system for dealing with misconduct by bishops, including the failure to deal appropriately with abusive priests, is simply inadequate, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Church’s bid to block child-abuse compensation is a disgrace

  18th May 2015

  The Catholic Church should be utterly ashamed of revelations that it has not abandoned the controversial Ellis Defence to avoid paying compensation to victims of clerical child abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Commonwealth is failing victims of institutional child abuse

  25th Mar 2015

  The federal government is abdicating its responsibility to victims of institutional child abuse by failing to support a national redress scheme, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• Royal Commission findings show overwhelming need for law reform

  12th Feb 2015

  The scathing findings by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse about the conduct of the Catholic Church and Cardinal Pell in the Ellis matter demonstrate the overwhelming need for law reform, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• John Ellis awarded 2014 National Civil Justice Award

  24th Oct 2014

  Lawyer John Ellis has been awarded the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Civil Justice Award in 2014 for his dedicated advocacy for survivors of sexual abuse.

• John Ellis named ALA 2014 National Civil Justice Award Winner

  24th Oct 2014

  A man who has led the fight to make the Catholic Church and other institutions accountable for the actions of its clergy and staff has been declared the winner of the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) National Civil Justice Award.

• State Govts must match Fed commitment to child abuse victims

  8th Sep 2014

  State, territory and federal governments need to provide certainty of adequate compensation for victims of institutional child sexual abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• ALA welcomes Royal Commission extension

  3rd Sep 2014

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) welcomes the government’s commitment to the extension of the Royal Commission on Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

• Redress schemes are not the answer for victims of child abuse

  22nd Aug 2014

  A statutory redress scheme for victims of child sexual abuse would be no substitute for common law rights to seek compensation for institutional abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Royal Commission funding threat is unacceptable

  20th Aug 2014

  Any possibility that the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse may have to conclude prematurely due to inadequate funding is unacceptable, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Examining calls for an institutional abuse redress scheme

  15th Aug 2014

  This week, the Truth, Justice and Healing Council recommended that a national redress scheme be established to compensate survivors of institutional abuse. The devil is always in the detail, writes the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s Emily Mitchell.

• Look cautiously at the Catholic Church’s compensation proposal

  14th Aug 2014

  The Catholic Church’s proposal for a national compensation scheme for victims of institutional abuse may not prevent additional bullying of victims of child abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Catholic Church puts asset protection ahead of abuse victims

  12th Aug 2014

  The Roman Catholic Church has demonstrated once again that it puts asset protection ahead of the interests of child sexual abuse victims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Commonwealth should scrutinise alleged SA child abuse

  24th Jul 2014

  The South Australian Government should invite the Commonwealth Royal Commission on Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse to investigate allegations of abuse in that state, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Extension of Royal Commission best hope for reform

  2nd Jul 2014

  The work of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is the best hope for major reform in this area, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today. 

• Sexual abuse of minors by Royal Australian Navy should be investigated

  17th Apr 2014

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance calls on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse to hold an open hearing into the allegations of decades of sexual abuse of minors at HMAS Leeuwin.

• Justice and compassion come second best

  25th Mar 2014

  In evidence at the Royal Commission yesterday, Cardinal Pell conceded that justice required that a legal entity be created for victims of clergy abuse to sue.

• Catholic church concession on Ellis defence is inadequate

  11th Mar 2014

  A historic concession made yesterday only goes halfway to according justice for thousands of victims of sexual abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• Undercompensation fund not the answer for victims of abuse

  13th Feb 2014

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance notes the calls from the Roman Catholic Church and other churches for a national compensation fund in response to the ongoing suffering of victims of institutional abuse.

• Investigation of abuse by priests must be done by the courts – ALA

  3rd Oct 2013

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance welcomes today’s concession from the Catholic Church’s Truth, Justice and Healing Council on the failure of the Church’s Towards Healing process.

• Call for Catholic Church to come clean on real abuse numbers – ALA

  9th Jun 2013

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling on Catholic Church to come clean to the Victorian child sexual abuse inquiry and reveal the accurate number of victims known to it.

• NSW time limits will wipe sexual assault victims rights to comp - ALA

  14th May 2013

  “The Anglican Survey of Child Sexual Abuse by clergy in the Brisbane area showed an average time from abuse to first complaint of 19.5 years,” Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Dr Andrew Morrison SC said today.

• Cardinal Pell must publicly accept church abuse to start true healing

  16th Nov 2012

  “Cardinal George Pell must publicly acknowledge the widespread existence of child sexual abuse within the Australian Roman Catholic Church if he is genuinely concerned for victims and wants their true healing to start,” Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Andrew Morrison SC said today.

• Royal Commission into child sex abuse is first stage of justice

  13th Nov 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling on the federal government to draw knowledge from Ireland’s victim restitution methods of 2009 when it comes time to consider how best to help compensate Australian institutional abuse victims as part of the Federal Royal Commission just announced.

• Royal Commission powers needed for NSW Inquiry into child sex abuse

  12th Nov 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance says a full, wide-ranging NSW Royal Commission into child sexual abuse in religious institutions is the only way of ensuring true justice is served for hundreds abused as children while in the care of religious institutions in the state.

• ALA renews calls for NSW Royal Commission into child sex abuse

  9th Nov 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance has renewed its call for a NSW Royal Commission into child sex abuse in religious institutions following further evidence by a senior police officer on the extent of abuse and alleged cover up practices in the Newcastle Hunter region.

• ALA renews calls for Royal Commission into child sex abuse

  11th Sep 2012

  The ALA renews its calls for a Royal Commission into child sexual abuse in religious institutions, following Anglican Bishop Brian Farran’s support for an open inquiry.

• Call for Royal Commission into abuse of children in care of church

  4th Jul 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling for a National Royal Commission into abuse of children in the care of the Catholic Church, following an ABC Four Corners program on Monday night that assisted in publicly ventilating the issue.

• ALA calls for National Inquiry into sexual abuse of children

  19th Apr 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance today called for a National Inquiry into sexual abuse perpetrated in religious institutions.