Eighth anniversary review of the National Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse
3 September 2026
On 14 August 2026, the Law Council provided a submission to the eighth anniversary review of the National Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse.
The Law Council’s submission has noted that the volume of applications to the Redress Scheme has resulted in significant administrative challenges, highlighting concerns from practitioners that it can be difficult to obtain updates on the progress of applications, and that processing times remain excessively long. The Law Council also took the opportunity to advocate for an extension of the sunset date for the Redress Scheme, noting that there are a significant number of outstanding applications yet to be finalised.
In further support of extending the sunset date, the Law Council notes concerns that awareness of the Redress Scheme may not yet be at a satisfactory level, especially within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We have therefore advocated for resourcing for community-controlled organisations to promote further awareness of the Scheme.
Finally, the Law Council’s submission raised concerns about the emergence of a ‘survivor advocacy/assistance’ industry, and the rise of ‘claim farming’ practices. Such practices may be operating outside the scope of existing professional and occupational regulation schemes (such as are in place for legal practitioners), creating a significant risk to potential Redress Scheme claimants arising from incorrect and misleading information and advice and potential financial exploitation.
Last Updated on 03/09/2026