Royal Commission needed, say Forgotten Australian advocates.
By KEZIA MESKANEN and
BAZZAH.
Forgotten Australians advocates are calling for a Royal Commission into the abuse of children in institutional care.
Acting on recommendations of the 2004 Senate Committee Forgotten Australians report, in 2006 the Victorian State Government had apologised to all former wards of state between 1928 and 1992.
But many Forgotten Australians were angered when the apology failed to address compensation for those who have been physically and emotionally scarred from years of institutional state care.
Former ward of state, Bazzah, was amongst the hundreds of people gathered at Parliament House three years ago, to hear the apology. “Nowhere in the speech did they say there would be any long term restitution” says Bazzah.
“The government wanted to be seen to be doing something, and three years on,they are doing nothing”.
Many Forgotten Australian advocates are calling for a commonwealth initiated Royal Commission into institutional abuse in order to address ongoing assistance and compensation for those affected by time spent in institutional state care.
Wayne Chamley, a member of Broken Rites and advocate of human rights, believes compensation and support needs to be addressed on a national level.
A redress board, commonwealth initiated Royal Commission and a national compensation scheme and fund is needed to provide Forgotten Australians with much needed ongoing support, said Chamley.
Caroline Carroll, a Forgotten Australian herself and an advocate at VANISH, believes that the failure to mention the “C” word, compensation, has upset many Forgotten Australians who are still dealing with the long lasting affects of being put through a system that failed to look after their welfare.
“They gave us lives but they didn’t give us any foundation that is why so many of us stumble and fall” Carroll said.
In Victoria the statute of limitations means that Forgotten Australians can make a claim up to six years after becoming aware of any institutional abuse.
| "...They should be honoured for their experience and given every support they need in order to participate fully in the community of which they are part..." Speech Senator Gary Humphries on the Forgotten Australians Inquiry. |  |
According to Chamley the time restriction in the statute of limitations prevents many from taking civil action as full realisation of childhood abuse can occur years later and often “hits people like a train roaring down the tracks”.
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He believes the statute of limitations also acts against former wards because any civil action taken by Forgotten Australians against the government would be defended by the Government “to the last gasp”, making it a long and difficult process for Forgotten Australians to undertake. Carroll and Chamley both point to an initiative established in Ireland that would be more beneficial to Forgotten Australians.
In 1999, following a Royal Commission, the Irish government acknowledged and apologised for the abuse of children in institution and implemented a strategy to provide financial compensation and ongoing support to these peoples and their families. Funding for this compensation scheme comes from the Irish government, with contributions from responsible religious bodies. The Victorian Government has settled about 60 compensation claims totalling around $4.3 million since 1995. The Bracks apology is just the first step in a long fight that VANISH and CLAN, who both received funding from the Bracks government, will continue, said Carroll. Three years on and still nothing since the apology from the Victorian State Government.
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