Adelaide and Port Pirie dioceses join redress scheme
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Adelaide and Port Pirie dioceses have now officially joined the National Redress Scheme for survivors of child sexual abuse.
This was confirmed by Social Services Minister Paul Fletcher who announced that 17 of 35 dioceses around the country are participating institutions in the scheme.
Under the relevant Commonwealth legislation, parishes, schools, agencies and ecclesiastical organisations or trust corporation under the authority of the Archbishop of Adelaide and the Bishop of Port Pirie are included in the scheme.
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president Archbishop Mark Coleridge said the ACBC was pleased that about 90 per cent of all parishes, diocesan schools and ministries have now officially joined the scheme.
“I’m grateful that Minister Fletcher and his Department were willing to work closely with our new company, Australian Catholic Redress Ltd, to reach this milestone,” Archbishop Coleridge said.
“With more than 5000 Catholic sites eventually to fall under Australian Catholic Redress Ltd’s purview, this was a longer and more complex process than we or even the Department expected.
“We are aware that many redress claims relating to dioceses have already been lodged, so our priority will be to act swiftly to respond to them.”
Archbishop Coleridge said the Bishops Conference had called for an independent national redress scheme for some years. With the scheme now in place, he expects the remaining dioceses will be participating in the National Redress Scheme within weeks.
Anyone wishing to lodge a claim should contact the scheme: phone 1800 737 377 or visit www.nationalredress.gov.au
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