National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Amendment 2021

✦ Plain-English Summary

# National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Amendment 2021

## What it does

This bill makes it easier for survivors of child sexual abuse in institutions (like schools, churches, and care facilities) to get compensation through the existing National Redress Scheme. It removes barriers that were making the process harder, including complex paperwork requirements and strict time limits.

## Why it matters

Survivors have been struggling to access compensation they're entitled to because of unnecessary red tape and deadlines. These changes mean more people who suffered abuse can actually get their claim processed and receive payment without jumping through extra hoops.

## Key details

- **Removes the statutory declaration requirement**: Survivors no longer need to get their application signed by a lawyer or Justice of the Peace — a major barrier for vulnerable people
- **Extends time limits**: People have longer to review decisions and decide whether to accept offers, giving them more time to think through their options and get advice
- **Allows instalments**: Survivors can now receive compensation in multiple payments rather than a lump sum if that suits their circumstances better
- **Indexes prior payments**: Any compensation already paid out gets updated to keep pace with inflation, so survivors aren't left behind by rising costs

Official Description

Implements certain recommendations of the final report of the second year review of the National Redress Scheme by amending the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Act 2018 to: provide for advance payments of $10 000 to elderly or terminally ill applicants, or where there are other exceptional circumstances for particularly vulnerable people; change the date for which the indexation of relevant prior payments is calculated; extend the acceptance period of a redress offer after it has expired and provide for the period within which to seek a review to be aligned with any extension to the acceptance period; remove the requirement for an application to include a statutory declaration; and provide for redress payments and counselling and psychological care payments to be made in instalments rather than as a lump sum, if requested by an applicant.

Full bill PDF →APH page →

Audit History

Introduced

26 Aug 2021

Last updated on APH

10 Apr 2026

Outcome date

13 Sept 2021

Last checked by Crossbench

2 days ago

Full text indexed

2 days ago

🗳️

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

Constituent votes

Voting is closed — this bill has been decided by parliament.

No votes yet.

No votes were recorded for this bill.

🔒 Voting closed — this bill has been decided by parliament