Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697632001962.pdf (Australia)
Andrew Collins I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse.

I am also an advocate for other survivors.

Throughout the Royal Commission I have been a spokesperson for the Ballarat and District Survivors Group, and I was one of those who went to Rome to hear George Pell give evidence.

I have been very active as an advocate for ALL survivors of childhood sexual abuse, as a google search will attest.
I have lobbied politicians and church leaders along with other survivors, most notably Peter Blenkiron, who appears in nearly every article and interview with me (we are a couple of broken men who joke that between us we have half a brain).

I am writing to you because of the impending Redress scheme legislation.
Federal politicians will be voting on it soon, and State politicians will have to decide if their states will sign up for it (the Territory politicians apparently don’t have a choice, but still should know how survivors feel).

Survivors feel that they have been let down.

This proposed Redress Scheme is not just.

When the Royal Commission was announced there was joy amongst survivors.

If you look back to the media at the time, the one thing that survivors all wanted was JUSTICE.
For survivors that meant seeing the perpetrators in court and seeing decent sentences.

It meant laws changed to protect children.

It meant programs in schools to help children who were abused.

It meant being able to take legal action against the institutions who covered it up and did nothing.

It meant adequate compensation for past wrongs.

It meant ongoing care for those abused.

And it meant stopping the deaths; the ongoing suicides.
As the Royal Commission comes to an end, some commentators have spoken about how great it is that survivors finally got to tell their story.

We never wanted to tell our story.

We wanted to be heard, and to get justice, but coming forward and telling our stories is never what this was about.

Those who did speak publically have found that most of society feels sorry, but doesn’t really want to know.
Rape, and especially the rape of children, is still considered to be ‘dirty’ and most prefer to brush it aside.

Add in suicide and it is hard for the average person to be comfortable.

Most of us who have spoken out have lost family or friends, as there are a large number who think that we have shamed our families and their churches by speaking up.

Some have been asked to leave sporting clubs, and many of us have been abused in public.

We are seen as trouble makers.


I was with my children once coming out of a fast food venue when a group of young adults said ‘look, there’s the guy who was f@#ked up the arse by a priest”.

Not exactly how I want to be known.

Family members have been abused and it’s hard to go out in public sometimes.

So why did we speak up?

Justice, and to make sure that this never happened again.

We did not want to tell our stories in public, but it was the only way.

Which brings me to the redress scheme.


Since before the Royal Commission started survivors were calling for a scheme to be put in place, ran by the government but paid for by the institutions.

Survivors were unable to obtain compensation because of the way the institutions structured themselves (the Ellis defence), and the only way to get anything was to go back to the institution that abused you.
Survivors were traumatised all over again for sums that were less than the schemes of last resort, ie state victims of crime.

Some people received a couple of thousand dollars with the average around $20,000 to $40,000.

There was no ongoing care and survivors were left to fend for themselves.
Commonwealth Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Bill 2017 and related billSubmission 57 - Attachment 1 We saw that there was a system that the government had already put into place for people who had served in the military and had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

They received a higher pension than those survivors on the disability pension ($252 per week more for a single person), and also had access to medical cards to provide them with adequate medical care.
They also paid lump sum compensation for injuries suffered.

It seemed to be the answer, and we lobbied politicians.

We had a well‐publicised meeting with Kevin Andrews when he was the minister for Social Services, and although he seemed sympathetic, we never had any of the follow up that he promised.

Every state also has workers compensation and TAC style compensation.

For all of these there is individual assessment, lump sums for the past and access to ongoing care.

This should have been easy.


With the assistance of a group in Ballarat who was trying to help survivors (Moving Towards Justice), we put together a ‘care package’ to assist some survivors on the disability pension with their rent on a trial basis.

It was paid directly to their landlords.

This left them with extra funds each week.

What we saw was amazing.

Survivors talked of being able to buy steak.

Of being able to see a movie or having petrol to visit relatives.
They also were able to pay for massages and medications that they previously couldn’t afford.

Unfortunately the funds were only there for a few months, but the difference was amazing.

For those abused by the Catholic Church in Ballarat, we were able to convince the Diocese of Ballarat to reimburse survivors for medication costs, counselling, massages and even some travel costs.

To the survivors this felt like they were worthwhile.
The cost per person was minimal, and unfortunately this hasn’t spread outside of the Ballarat city, but it has helped survivors.

We believe that this is the only diocese in Australia doing this.

When the Royal Commission called for submissions on Redress, myself and Peter Blenkiron put together a submission which we had presented to survivors not only in Ballarat but around Australia.
A group of survivors in Scotland even presented the same submission to their parliament as a model of what survivors need.

It was the only survivor submission.

We understood that Australia is not the United States.

We have all heard stories of million dollar payments, but we never expected anything like this.

We looked at what people had been paid for past compensation in schemes like workcover, tac and court awarded settlements.

We proposed a maximum payment of $350,000 for past wrongs.
The most important part was ongoing care and support.

Not everyone would need it, and those who did may not need it forever.

Those on the disability pension should get the same as those on the military pension.

All survivors should have access to one of the same health care cards.

And families of those who have taken their own lives should be eligible for something, as secondary victims are suffering just as much.
The scheme should be non‐adversarial and survivors should not have to go through a court based system.

For those who wanted more, they should be able to sue the institution, and the law should be changed to allow them to do so.

We had a great reaction from everyone we presented this to.

It was fair, and the highest costs would be at day one.

The reality is that in 30 to 40 years nearly all of us will be dead.

It is a short term scheme only.


When the Royal Commission sat down with stakeholders to discuss redress, we were not invited.

The institutions were.

We found this to be incredulous.

Why were those who did wrong getting to have a say?

When the Royal Commission made their recommendation, we were shattered.

They proposed a maximum payment of $200,000 with ongoing care being done as extra sessions in an already stressed medicare system.
And to top it off, there would be a matrix dawn up to decide how much Commonwealth Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Bill 2017 and related billSubmission 57 - Attachment 1 would be paid, with an average payment of $60.000.

It was stated that the scheme had to be affordable to the institutions.

This wasn’t about justice, it was about the lowest costs for the churches and states.
When you are talking about the rape of children, what’s affordable for the institution should not even be discussed.

When James Hardy had to pay compensation for those affected by asbestos, the courts did not ask them how much they wanted to pay.

This was wrong in so many ways.

But just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse it did.

The government sat on the recommendations and did nothing.

We had to go through a Federal Election and then they sat down and looked at it.
Survivors were dying but there was no obvious hurry.

No interim support.

They met with the leaders of the institutions and allowed them to have input.

They formed an advisory body to represent survivors, which was made up of ex politicians and sector workers instead of survivors.

When we started meeting with politicians we were told that we were the first survivors that they had spoken to!!

Then the Government announced a proposed scheme.


The maximum payment was now $150,000, with an average payment of $40,000 to 60,000.

Despite hearing evidence at the Royal Commission that it didn’t matter how you were abused or who abused you, but it was the effects that mattered, the government agreed on a matrix that was dependent upon how you were abused and who abused you.

Peter and I went to Canberra and met with Minister Christian Porter.
We had a lengthy meeting where he said that he understood the need for ongoing care and support.

We discussed not only increased mental health sessions through Medicare, but also tapping into services offered by the NDIS and allowing those who were on the disability pension to be able to move to work if they could then be able to go back on the pension if they struggled.
He told us that anyone who had given evidence or made a submission to the Royal Commission would be automatically accepted and would not have to tell their story again.

He offered to send a staff member to Ballarat to show us the proposed legislation when done and to allow us to have input.

We felt a bit happier as it least it was something for those who had nothing, and spoke to Bill Shorten the next day who said that he would do everything he could to do right by the survivors.
So we returned back to Ballarat and waited.

But nobody came and nobody contacted us.

Then Minister Porter released the proposed legislation.

He lied to us.

It was like being abused all over again.

More lost trust from those who should be helping.

The extra care and support was now gone.

The institution could give some counselling, but ongoing care would be provided by existing counsellors in organisations like CASA in Victoria who receive government funding.
Everyone had to apply for the scheme now; nobody was automatically accepted.

There was no additional support in the NDIS or Centrelink.

And if a survivor dies between now and the time the scheme starts, his family gets nothing.

And for the families of those who have taken their own lives?

Nothing.

The Royal Commission heard that nearly 60% of those in prison were sexually abused as children.
The government decided to cut most of them out of the scheme, especially those who were involved in drugs or fraud.

For some, crime was a way of coping, just like drugs or alcohol.

In cases where an institution paid a small amount in the past, it will be adjusted for inflation then deducted from any payment.

This just seemed like a cruel joke.

What we ended up with was essentially throwing some money at survivors who might be able to pay off some bills, buy a tv and maybe buy a newer second‐hand car.
They would drift from crisis to crisis with their care, never getting a chance to actually have any detailed therapy from psychologists or psychiatrists.

And in a year or two what happens then?

Commonwealth Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Bill 2017 and related billSubmission 57 - Attachment 1 The Royal Commission heard that children who are abused are permanently affected.

The developing brain is altered and remains this way forever.
The child develops things to get them through the abuse, but these things hamper their life as adults.

Think of it as a computer and the core programming is altered.

Programs will never run the way they should.

This means that we are likely to die at least 10 years earlier than our peers.

We are 10 times more likely to suicide.

We are more likely to have physical problems.

We are likely to have broken relationships and are usually addicts of some sort or another.
We often can’t work, have no savings or superannuation and live alone.

We are more likely to have problems with authority.

In short this scheme is an insult.

The government can use existing schemes to help survivors and the institutions can pay the cost.

The Churches are tax free at state and federal levels.

They own land and have wealth.

If they had to sell assets to help to right the wrongs they did then that is justice.
Minister Porter says that if the scheme wasn’t affordable then they wouldn’t sign on.

My answer is simple.

Tax them unless they sign on and use the taxes to pay their share.

These were criminal acts done to innocent children and they covered them up.

They moved perpetrators around and by doing so essentially facilitated the rape of other children.
And then they used every trick to avoid paying compensation, and now they are getting away with paying pittance and not even allowing survivors the opportunity to heal.

And most of these institutions are Churches.

We wish they would act like they preach.

Remember Cornelia Rau?

She was detained by the government for 10 months and received 2.6 million.

Then there were cases of people recently who fell over in supermarkets and received sums of between 280,000 and 600,000.
All of these people suffered TEMPORARY issues.

We were raped as children and suffer LIFELONG issues.

I have seen Bishops in $120,000 cars that they buy tax free.

Even the paedophiles in prison get taken care of and get medical attention and meals, and when they are released the institutions usually take care of them, giving them accommodation, meals, money and medical treatment in private facilities.

Think about that.

The abusers are better off than most victims.

Something is wrong here.


Some states like Victoria have said that they may not sign on unless survivors are getting a fair deal.

To those premiers and politicians I ask that you do not sign on unless it is a fair deal.

When the Government announced the Royal Commission it created a bubble of hope.

That bubble is about to burst, and lives will be lost.

My hometown of Ballarat has a suicide rate 12 times the national average.
If this many people were being murdered there would be outrage and money would be spent to stop the deaths.

But this is murder.

The only difference is that the trigger was pulled during our childhood, and we didn’t die straight away.

This should be treated like a national emergency.

It is wrong that the legal fraternity have prospered from the Royal Commission, while the victims end up getting crumbs, and the institutions avert their gaze.
If we can get a perpetrator to court, there is around a small chance that they will be convicted.

Rape of a child is not done in front of others.

And if they do ever plead guilty they will do a deal to admit to the lesser charges like fondling while not admitting to penetrations.

This leaves victims feeling like they have been cheated.

We do not see justice through the legal system.

There is no closure, no moving on.


It’s not uncommon for survivors to feel worse after a trial, even when there is a conviction.

If you saw a child being raped by a teacher, priest, or other adult, you would not stand by.

You would make sure that the child received justice.

You would make sure that the child was taken care of.
And yet as politicians you have a chance to help and take care of all of these children that are still Commonwealth Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Bill 2017 and related billSubmission 57 - Attachment 1 suffering in our adult bodies.

Help us.

We can’t do it ourselves.

We have nobody else to champion our cause.

In every electorate there are survivors depending upon you.

We beg you to give us the justice that the Royal Commission promised.

I leave this in your hands.


There is nothing more I can do.

Andrew Collins Commonwealth Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Bill 2017 and related billSubmission 57 - Attachment 1