'Committed to supporting survivors': Cricket ACT approved to join National Redress Scheme to compensate sexual abuse survivors

In a major development two years after launching an initial application, Cricket ACT has confirmed it has been deemed eligible to join the scheme after previously being rejected because of its financial position.

There are understood to be at least 15 victims who can make claims, with an official federal government announcement about Cricket ACT's status expected later this month.

ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates hoped the move would give peace of mind to survivors and "a clear pathway for redress".

"Victim-survivors want to see past abuses publicly acknowledged. Cricket ACT is one Canberra sporting organisation which has done so," Yates said.

"The Canberra community has the right to expect that all sporting organisations will work to implement child safe standards, to minimise the possibility of any child ever being harmed in their care."

It's unclear whether Cricket ACT's approval is part of a wider Cricket Australia push for all state and territory associations to sign up to the scheme.

Cricket ACT is technically regarded as a subsidiary of Cricket NSW and has been working alone to try to join the scheme since June, 2020.

But they hit significant hurdles because they were unable to "demonstrate their capacity to pay redress for current and any possible future applications over the life of the scheme."

"Cricket ACT acknowledges there have been incidents which occurred historically in our sport and expresses its deepest sympathy to survivors of abuse," chief executive Olivia Thornton said in a statement.

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"CACT takes these matters seriously and is committed to supporting survivors through the NRS.

"[Cricket ACT] expressed an intention to join the NRS in June 2020 and submitted to the Department of Social Services the necessary documentation required to join.

"Following thorough consideration of this documentation by [the department], Cricket ACT was determined to be unable to join the scheme due to its financial position.

"Since that time, Cricket ACT has continued to work closely and cooperatively with DSS and has provided additional and updated documentation each year, unprompted, to reassess its ability to join the scheme.

"In October 2022, Cricket ACT again provided further information to DSS for consideration of its eligibility to join the NRS. Following this latest assessment, Cricket ACT has been deemed eligible to join the scheme and is currently working closely with DSS through the onboarding process."

King was found guilty of sexual abuse of 10 boys during his time as a coach in the Canberra region between 1989-1998. He was jailed for 22 years.

He had his sentence extended in September when he pleaded guilty to a new charge of committing an act of indecency on another victim, who was 13 when the offence occurred in 1998. His jail sentence was extended by 23 months.

One survivor read a victim impact statement in the ACT Supreme Court in August, saying: "You robbed me of something 23 years ago.

"Something deep inside of every single person here, besides you of course, something that shapes a child and makes them who they are as an adult, something that gives them a spark and that shines from the inside out, and gives them nothing but joy and a beautiful outlook on life as they begin to create their own journey into this world.

"Twenty-three years ago, the thing you stole from me was my soul."

The federal government scheme, set up in 2018 for survivors of institutional sexual abuse, was given a $39 million funding boost this year and has been accessed by more than 15,000 people in four years.

Cricket Australia chairman Lachlan Henderson apologised to survivors of child sexual abuse within Australian cricket last month. Western Australia was the only state cricket association to have signed up to the redress scheme before Cricket ACT was given approval.

Cricket ACT will be required to pay out any existing claims and any future applications, potentially costing the organisation several millions of dollars.

Despite the financial pressure it would put on Cricket ACT, officials have always believed signing up to the scheme was the "right thing to do".

The scheme was set up following a Royal Commission and aimed at giving victims an avenue to get compensation without needing to take legal action. But victims can only be paid if the organisation they make the claim against is a willing participant of the scheme.

The Forrest Tennis Club has been banned from ACT government funding because it failed to sign up to the scheme.

"Cricket ACT recognises the devastating and lasting impact that child sexual abuse can have on the lives of survivors and their loved ones," Thornton's statement said.

"CACT appreciates the importance of the National Redress Scheme and supports its purpose and objectives to ensure that full and appropriate redress, and support, is available to all people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse.

"The safety of children and young people is of the utmost importance to CACT.

"CACT has no tolerance for any form of abuse and is committed to ensuring that every cricket participant, including children and young people, can participate in the game free of abuse, harassment, bullying or any other inappropriate conduct.

"Policies, checks and other measures are in place to achieve this aim and CACT will continue to reassess its policies and procedures to ensure that cricket is a safe place for all involved."

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