This newsletter provides an update on the National Redress Scheme (the Scheme). It includes details on application processing and participating institutions.

The update contains material that could be confronting or distressing. Sometimes words or images can cause sadness or distress or trigger traumatic memories, particularly for people who have experienced past abuse or childhood trauma.

Support is available to help you if you need it. To find out more, go to 
www.nationalredress.gov.au/help-support/get-free-help-apply/redress-support-services.

If you need immediate support, 24-hour telephone assistance is available through:

Application processing and recent institutions to join:

Application progress

As of 28 October 2022, the Scheme:

  • had received 20,074 applications.
  • made 11,203 decisions (through the Scheme’s Independent Decision Makers (IDMs)) — including 9,425 payments, totalling approximately $861 million (m), with an average of $87,777.
  • made 1,157 advance payments since their introduction in September 2021.
  • issued 11,006 outcomes, of which 10,702 applicants (representing 97% of all outcomes issued) are eligible for redress and 304 (representing 3% of all outcomes issued) are ineligible.
  • is currently progressing 9,295 applications.
  • had 2,055 applications that are on hold or paused, including 1,921 where further information is required, at the request of the applicant or nominee, or where there are difficulties in contacting the applicant, and 134 due to an institution not yet participating in the scheme.
  • had finalised 10,217 applications.
  • had 45 IDMs actively making decisions.

Participating institutions update

All institutions where child sexual abuse has occurred are encouraged to sign up to the Scheme as soon as possible.

As at Declaration 5, signed by the Minister on 12 July 2022:

  • all Commonwealth and State and Territory government institutions and 604 non government institutions are now participating in the Scheme.
  • approximately 71,000 sites across Australia are now covered by the Scheme.
  • 75 unique institutions have been declared under the Funder of Last Resort (FOLR) arrangements.
    • These institutions are defunct and the Commonwealth and/or relevant state governments are the FOLR.

A number of institutions were recently added to the Scheme legislation. This declaration is available via the Federal Register of Legislation(Opens in a new tab/window).

For the latest information about institutions, visit our website:
www.nationalredress.gov.au/institutions.

Find out more

For further information about the Scheme, go to www.nationalredress.gov.au or call 1800 737 377 Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm AET from Australia or +61 2 6222 3455 from overseas.

For regular updates about the Department of Social Services and the Scheme, you can ‘like’ or ‘follow’ the Australian Families Facebook page: facebook.com/FamiliesInAustralia(Opens in a new tab/window).

The Australian Government acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, water, culture and community. We pay our respects to the Elders both past and present.

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