Joint Standing Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme
18 February 2026
On 6 February 2026, the Law Council provided a submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme (the Redress Scheme).
The Law Council submission notes that feedback from the profession is that the Redress Scheme has been a valuable support and healing mechanism for survivors of child sexual abuse through its counselling and psychological care component, its redress monetary payment, and the Redress Scheme’s facilitation of direct personal responses from the participating institutions responsible for the abuse. The Law Council submission provides support for an extension of the Redress Scheme to ensure outstanding applications can be made and assessed.
The Law Council’s engagement with the Joint Standing Committee focussed on matters relating to:
- ensuring fairness for existing applications;
- providing access to justice for survivors who are yet to submit applications;
- alignment with the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse; and
- avoiding perpetuating trauma.
The Law Council concluded that extending the Redress Scheme would ensure that applications can be properly and fairly assessed, and that timelines for applications do not place undue pressure on applicants. The submission further noted that extension of time would likely provide an opportunity to increase awareness of the Redress Scheme, particularly in regional or remote areas and within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Accordingly, the Law Council made two recommendations:
- That the redress Scheme should be extended beyond its current sunset date by at least a further five years (to 30 June 2033); and
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled Organisations should be adequately resourced to promote awareness of the Redress Scheme to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The Law Council would welcome further engagement as the Joint Standing Committee’s review progresses.
Last Updated on 17/02/2026