Public hearings on the National Redress Scheme

THE Joint Select Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme will begin public hearings this week, helping to shape the recommendations to be made in its Second Interim Report.

The Committee’s First Interim Report, tabled in May 2020, made 14 detailed recommendations that were intended to inform the Scheme’s legislated second anniversary review.

Committee Chair Senator Dean Smith noted that, while the second anniversary review is ongoing, a number of issues associated with the operation of the Scheme need to be considered now.

These issues include defunct institutions and the operation of the funder of last resort mechanism, awareness and access to the Scheme for Indigenous Australians, and the impact of COVID-19 on the provision of specialised redress support services.

Protecting survivors from opportunistic behaviour by legal practitioners, who seek to target them for financial benefit under the guise of assisting with applications, will also be considered.

“The Committee is dedicated to ensuring the National Redress Scheme is continually recalibrated to improve the experience of survivors,” Senator Smith said.

The Second Interim Report is expected to be tabled in Parliament in early 2021.

Public hearing program

Date: Friday, 25 September 2020
Time: 10am to 1pm
Location: via teleconference

Date: Monday 28 September 2020
Time: 9am to 11.15am
Location: via videoconference

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live and public hearing programs will be available at the Committee website prior to the hearing.

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