NSW rabbis ready to sign up the National Redress Scheme
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was joined by the Premier of New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian and the Premier of Victoria Dan Andrews at Kirribilli House to announce a scheme to redress the crimes of sexual abuse which were historically covered up and brought to the light through the Royal Commission.
Malcolm Turnbull at Kirribilli House
Prime Minister said “Now through the Royal Commission over 16,000 individuals were contacted and told their stories. By the time it concluded, more than 8,000 of those were heard directly in private sessions and over than 1,000 survivors provided a written account of their experience.
Today, we honour the bravery of those survivors and their families.
We also pause to remember those who are no longer with us. Leonie, I know that is what you are doing now. Your passion and your love is so eloquent and is matched by others here today and elsewhere, so thank you.
They’re children, who deserve to be safe, whose lives were shockingly impacted by cruel and evil people who perpetrated violence that is difficult to comprehend. But we have to confront the truth that has been revealed, as difficult as it is.
The Royal Commission validated the stories of the survivors. It enabled survivors to be heard and most importantly, to be believed. “We believe you,” these are the most important things that we must say and we must say them from our heart. Because the survivors, the victims of these shocking crimes, these shocking wrongs over so many years, were not believed. The crime, the assault, was compounded again and again by indifference and resistance, by legal obstacles, by institutional denial. They were covered up and ignored.
Now today, we are seeking to provide redress for those shocking crimes.
I am pleased to be able to announce today that Victoria and New South Wales will both join the National Redress Scheme. This is an historic moment.
This means that over 9,000 people who were sexually abused in New South Wales institutions, New South Wales government institutions and 5,000 abused in Victorian government institutions, will have access to the national scheme. It will also pave the way for churches, charities and other non-government institutions in both states to join the scheme, which would include a further 20,000 people who were abused in those institutions.
The secretary of the Rabbinical Council of NSW Rabbi Chaim Ingram released a statement saying: “The RCNSW hereby declares its readiness and willingness to sign up for the National Redress Scheme and urges all Jewish synagogal, communal and roof bodies to do likewise.
We are given to understand that Rabbi Mendel Kastel is working with the government and the ECAJ on behalf of the RCNSW to help the community implement it.”
I commend the RCNSW on its commitment to join the National Redress Scheme.
The world is moving on, in a positive and open manner regarding sexual abuse.
I can clearly remember the 1990s and later when we at the Jewish House attempted to report abuses cases to the civil authorities, paperwork was filled in and invariably there was little or no follow through.
It is gratifying to read that my successor Rabbi Mendel Kastel is at the forefront of this vital endeavour.