Advocacy group Beyond Abuse has accused the ACT government of "dragging its feet" when it comes to supporting hundreds of victims of historic child sex abuse in the territory.
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The group said the ACT government was the last state or territory jurisdiction to specifically respond to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse by introducing laws to free victims trapped in past unjust settlements.
The ACT in 2016 passed laws to remove statutory time limits on civil cases of institutional child abuse, but Beyond Abuse chief executive Steve Fisher said the territory did so in a manner which failed to act on pre-royal commission settlements.
Mr Fisher said hundreds of victims in the ACT needed justice.
"That is a recommendation of the royal commission. To us that's a no-brainer. It should have been done. Every other state in Australia has done it," he told The Canberra Times.
"But the ACT for some reason is dragging its feet and we are a bit bemused as to why."
Mr Fisher described these settlements as one-sided, with the victims being without a negotiating position and the institutions such as churches hiding behind the law.
"It was just a token payment and they made sure these were ironclad," he said.
"And nobody had been able to get out of these deeds of release until the royal commission and the recommendations came through that the statute of limitations should be thrown out."
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Victims in other jurisdictions can now go through either the National Redress Scheme, schemes the institution may have put in place or take the matter to court.
Beyond Abuse and survivors have been pushing for legal change in the ACT since before the last territory election and had verbal commitments of support from the previous attorney-general Gordon Ramsay and the current Attorney-General, Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury, but complain there has been no action.
A letter from Mr Rattenbury to Mr Fisher seen by The Canberra Times indicates the Attorney-General was taking the matter seriously on June 4, 2021.
"I agree that this is an important issue that requires a legislative response," he wrote.
"I have asked my directorate to ensure you are included in the targeted consultation process."
Beyond Abuse insists there were multiple follow-up inquiries to Mr Rattenbury and then last November, South Australia became the second last state or territory to change the law regarding unjust settlements.
"What this does is it just makes survivors wait longer to get the justice that they've deserved to have and that every other person who was abused in other states in Australia have got now," Mr Fisher said.
"The ACT for some reason have dropped the ball and we don't know why."
Frustrated, Mr Fisher wrote to the ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Mr Rattenbury on Friday informing them of the distress of victims and again asking for action.
"This is becoming an extraordinary period of time in which no progress is occurring on this important reform," he wrote.
"Silence for nine months is not appropriate, trauma-informed, communication with survivors of abuse."
The ACT Attorney-General has told The Canberra Times he plans to introduce legislation "as soon as practicable" this year.
"The ACT government remains committed to ensuring that survivors of child sexual abuse have access to justice," Mr Rattenbury said in a statement.
"I have met with advocates on this issue and I agree action is needed.
"Work is currently under way to develop legislation giving the courts power to set aside unjust child abuse settlements, so that survivors can access the benefits of reforms recommended by the royal commission. I plan to introduce this legislation as soon as practicable this year."
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Mensline 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732.
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