Disappointed. That's how child abuse survivor advocate Leonie Sheedy feels after a review of Australia's redress scheme.
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The head of the Care Leavers Australasia Network questions why there are reviews at all if survivors aren't heard.
The national redress scheme treats applications like insurance claims, Ms Sheedy has told a federal parliamentary committee.
"If you were to ask me what I thought of the two-year redress review, I'd answer you in one word: disappointed," she said on Monday.
"We were told by redress (the scheme) that we would be believed, we didn't need records, and we didn't need evidence.
"We've been coming here to committee after committee, telling you what's wrong with redress and I feel we don't get listened to."
A review of the scheme offering compensation to survivors of institutional child sexual abuse earlier this year called for a reset of the program.
It recommended 38 changes after finding the process to be traumatising, complex and confronting for survivors.
The government committed to 25 of these, including advance $10,000 payments to elderly survivors as well as those identifying as Indigenous or with a terminal illness.
CLAN labelled the application process confusing for many out-of-home care abuse survivors who were then underpaid because they could not provide the necessary detail.
The group labelled the length of time it took to finalise applications as "beyond ridiculous" and said some dating back to 2018 remained outstanding.
CLAN also wanted a dedicated team to handle claims from people abused in out-of-home care.
While redress gave survivors an alternative to civil action, some were "literally dying waiting to receive some ounce of justice and acknowledgement".
Australian Associated Press
