Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Can the minister update the Senate on how the Morrison government is ensuring survivors of institutional child sexual abuse are able to receive redress?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Senator Askew, for that very important question. It's particularly timely since the government—Assistant Minister Seselja and I—announced on Friday that we would be introducing legislation and regulatory reform to strip institutions who fail to accept their responsibility to join the redress scheme of their charitable status. This was a commitment that the Prime Minister made earlier this year to survivors and it is one that we are absolutely determined to fulfil. So, once the legislation and the regulations have gone through this place, no charitable or religious organisation or institution will be able to benefit from taxation concessions while victims and survivors of child sexual abuse continue to be denied the redress that they so rightly deserve.

To date, 129 charities have been identified as being named in applications in the scheme that have not yet joined the scheme. Whilst I acknowledge that many of those organisations are currently in the process of onboarding, we already know that there is one charitable organisation that was named in the July statement this year that has absolutely refused to accept its responsibility for the abuse that was undertaken in the institution. The Prime Minister has been absolutely clear in his statement that anybody who is named in the royal commission or who has an application lodged against them must do everything in their power to join the redress scheme so that we are in a position to provide the redress to survivors that they so justly deserve.

I'd like to take this opportunity to remind the 80 charitable institutions who are currently in the process of onboarding and who gave a commitment that they would onboard by 31 December 2020 that they have until 31 December. If they do not join in that time, they will be named and shamed and full sanctions will be taken against them.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Askew, a supplementary question?

Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, how do the changes assist the government in signing institutions up to the redress scheme?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We know this is a particularly complex area, and I'm very pleased to be able to say that we've taken a two-pronged approach to ensure that we are able to get access to survivors and make sure that no survivor is left behind. Firstly, we'll be amending the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission regulatory framework to require all charities to participate in the scheme if a claim has been made against them or is likely to be made against them. Should that charity fail to take reasonable steps, that will mean that they have not met their requirements and they will be subject to the full suite of existing compliance powers, which includes deregistration as a charity. This would mean that they would no longer be able to get access to favourable taxation concessions on income tax, fringe benefits tax and direct recipient status. This, I hope, will make those charities think twice. Further, we will also be making sure that basic religious charities are put into the same bucket as other charities. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Askew, a final supplementary question?

Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How does this important change add to other measures that the government has implemented to ensure institutions do not shirk their moral obligations?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have already been able to make 4,200 payments, but we understand that more needs to be done. That's why we are putting in place these very strong sanctions. If just the thought of being named and shamed isn't enough then hopefully the financial penalty will make sure that people understand their responsibility and that this government is absolutely serious. We have made it clear that we expect any institution that was named in the royal commission and any institution that was named in an application from a survivor to join. We want them to join the scheme and we want to make sure that we have every power to compel them to do so. We've also made it very clear that any institution receiving government funding that fails to join the scheme will no longer be eligible to receive that funding. I remain absolutely committed to naming and shaming every single institution that does not accept their responsibility to survivors of child sexual abuse and give them the redress that they deserve.