The ACT Government has released its formal response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, committing to address every recommendation made by the Commission.
In its response, the Territory accepted 290 of the Commission’s 307 recommendations, and set 17 aside for further consultation.
In a joint statement, Chief Minister Andrew Barr and the Minister for Business and Regulatory Services, Gordon Ramsay said that in light of the findings of the Royal Commission, it was clear all entities that worked with children could no longer assume that child abuse wouldn’t happen within their organisation.
“The ACT Government’s response to the Royal Commission is designed to change the status quo, to effect cultural change within organisations and to ensure the failures of the past are not permitted to continue,” the Ministers said.
They said work on the Royal Commission’s recommendations did not begin with the formal response.
“We have been implementing recommendations from the Royal Commission since they began to be issued in 2015,” the Ministers said.
“Since that time we have removed time limitations on all claims for personal injury, both against institutions and individuals, and strengthened our criminal laws for prosecuting historic sex abuse cases, including by introducing a new offence for ongoing sexual abuse of a child and a new grooming offence.”
Mr Barr and Mr Ramsay said every reform the Territory implemented would focus on prioritising the needs and best interests of children and supporting cultural change within institutions to prevent child abuse occurring in the first place.
The Territory’s two-part response to the Royal Commission’s recommendations, as well as a Response Snapshot can be accessed at this PS News link.
