Politics · Australia · 14 hrs ago
Inquiry urges Australia to keep abuse redress scheme open longer
A cross-party committee has urged Australia to extend its National Redress Scheme until all eligible applications are processed.
The scheme provides survivors of institutional child sexual abuse with counselling, compensation and an acknowledgement or apology.
It is due to stop accepting applications on June 30, 2027, and is legislated to close in June 2028.
At current processing rates, thousands of claims may remain unresolved by the scheduled closure.
The committee also recommends moving the application deadline to December 31, 2027, to give priority groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, better access to support.
Extending the scheme would require negotiations with states, territories and institutions such as churches and sports organisations.
The government is waiting for a review due in November before deciding whether to extend it.
A cross-party parliamentary report says Australia’s National Redress Scheme should remain open until all applications from survivors of institutional child sexual abuse are processed.
The committee also recommends extending the application deadline to December 31, 2027.
The scheme is scheduled to stop accepting applications on June 30, 2027, and close on June 30, 2028.
ABC analysis says thousands of claims may remain unresolved by the scheduled closure date at current processing rates.
The federal government has not said whether it will extend the scheme and is waiting for a review due to report in November.
- Who
- A cross-party parliamentary committee, including Labor, opposition and Greens MPs, made the recommendations.
- What
- It urged the government to keep the National Redress Scheme open until applications are processed and extend the application deadline.
- When
- The report was published on October 14, 2026. The scheme is scheduled to stop taking applications on June 30, 2027, and close on June 30, 2028.
- Where
- Australia.
- Why
- At current processing rates, thousands of claims may not be resolved by the scheduled closure date.
Parliamentary committee
Federal government
Extension
Parliamentary committee
The committee says the scheme should stay open until applications are processed and recommends extending the application deadline.
Federal government
The government has not said whether it will extend the scheme and is waiting for the legislated review.
ABC Australia reported on the cross-party parliamentary committee’s recommendations to extend the scheme.
The legislated review of the scheme is due to report to the government.
The scheme is currently scheduled to stop accepting applications.
The committee recommends setting this as the new application deadline.
The scheme is currently scheduled to close.
- Scheme application deadline
- June 30, 2027
- Current scheduled closure
- June 30, 2028
- Proposed application deadline
- December 31, 2027
- Current processing average
- Nearly 1,000 applications a month
- Expected applications
- More than 1,500 a month until the current application deadline
- Review report due
- November
What people are saying
Clearly the scheme finishing on June 2028 is not going to provide enough time for a review of all the applications.
We're not going to let victim-survivors down.