Survivors furious at Government response into parliamentary inquiry into responses to institutional abuse

Survivors have slammed as “cruel” the State Government’s response to a parliamentary inquiry into responses to institutional abuse after it was handed down without warning and rejected key recommendations. The inquiry found a heavy onus of proof, court delays and church tactics too often retraumatised victims and prevented access to redress, compensation and counselling. Labor MP Mark Folkard was part of the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee that delivered the report in August and was “disappointed” by some of his Government’s response but hoped it would trigger more change later. Only 11 of the 33 recommendations were accepted and 14 will be further considered. A register of abusers was one of eight recommendations that were not accepted. “I’m disappointed we didn’t get the list up,” Mr Folkard said. “It’s public knowledge that wouldn’t have been too hard ... we’ve done our bit, hopefully the next committee will pick it up and challenge it. I will continue to challenge it.” Mr Folkard was critical of the Christian Brothers’ refusal to appear before the inquiry and evidence given by Catholic Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, who said he could not compel them. Mr Folkard said the Catholic Church “100 per cent” needed to be held to account for “past sins”. “They’ve apologised every time they came before us ... I thought they were empty words,” he said. Survivors of Child Abuse advocate Terry Martino was upset that there was no warning before the Government’s response was tabled in State Parliament on Tuesday afternoon. “I do think it’s cruel,” he said. “They shared their personal traumatic stories before a group of strangers, details of their abuse, intimate details ... in the hope that it would bring about significant reform. “They feel let down by that, they feel let down by that process.” A recommendation to only allow permanent stays of proceedings at the end of a civil trial was rejected by the Government. “Survivors were really hopeful that that was going to be changed,” Mr Martino said. “It’s a real loophole in the legal system, they delay until they go away.” A recommendation to fast-track trial dates was accepted, the recommendation to stop describing child abuse as “historical” was accepted in-principal and the Government promised to consider funding a commissioner for victims of crime. “There is some hope here,” Mr Martino said. He issued a plea for Premier Roger Cook to provide funding and a time frame to set up a trauma support centre. “We’ve written to him, he hasn’t responded, so now we’re asking again,” he said. “Please meet with us and involve us in this further consideration process.”