Redress

Office of Professional Standards

National Redress Scheme

The Commonwealth Government has introduced, effective from 1 July 2018, the National Redress Scheme to provide redress to survivors of child sexual abuse up to a limit of $150,000 with counselling of $5,000 and a direct personal response. It will not cover claims for physical abuse alone.

The Diocese of Melbourne has applied to join the National Redress Scheme.

As the operator of the diocese’s complaints system, Kooyoora assists by providing information from the confidential complaints data for the diocese’s response to applications for redress from that institution under the National Redress Scheme.

Factsheet – Protected Information for participating institutions

Kooyoora Independent Redress Scheme

Kooyoora Ltd has established and will manage the Kooyoora Independent Redress Scheme. This scheme is particularly relevant to redress claims that may end up in civil litigation. It will also cover claims for physical child abuse alone.

The Diocese of Melbourne has resolved to become a participating institution in the Kooyoora Independent Redress Scheme in lieu of its interim scheme, with effect from 1 March 2019. This gives survivors a further option.

It provides the opportunity at the option of the survivor for negotiation and settlement as the first stage of the process of all claims including civil litigation claims. The Kooyoora Redress Manager manages that process independently and impartially by a survivor focused and trauma informed process.

If no settlement is reached, the Scheme give a survivor options–

to apply to the National Redress Scheme for determination of the application for redress if a respondent institution is a participating institution under that scheme;
to consent to the referral of the application to the Scheme’s adjudicating body for determination under this scheme so far as each respondent institution is a participating institution; and
to withdraw the application for redress under this scheme and seek other recourse.