The Catholic Church in Melbourne has lifted compensation to victims of clergy sexual abuse by nearly 50 per cent to $75,000

The Age - Austrailia April 24, 2009

But victim advocate Helen Last said the rise had come about only because victims had agitated for it, and that Melbourne's system was still one of the world's worst.

by Barney Zwartz

THE Catholic Church in Melbourne has lifted compensation to victims of clergy sexual abuse by nearly 50 per cent to $75,000.

Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart decided to increase the limit by $20,000 after a request from the compensation panel that recommends ex gratia payments to victims.

Archbishop Hart told The Age yesterday: "We want to be compassionate. With time, these things need to be reviewed, and that's what we've done."

A church spokesman said that since Melbourne's protocol was set up in 1996, about 450 victims had come forward, the vast majority relating to earlier offences, and that the number of cases was declining.

He said he could not rule out further cases because victims typically kept abuse to themselves for a long time.

But victim advocate Helen Last said the rise had come about only because victims had agitated for it, and that Melbourne's system was still one of the world's worst.

"This increase hasn't come from the will or the heart of the of the church — it has come from the protestations of the victims," she said.

Melbourne is the only Australian diocese not part of the national Towards Healing protocol. Its system, set up in 1996 when Cardinal George Pell was archbishop, has an independent commissioner, Peter O'Callaghan, QC, an agency to provide counselling and support, and a compensation panel.

Payments were capped at $50,000, and $5000 was added when the GST was introduced.

Ms Last, director of advocacy group In Good Faith — which has represented 240 victims, 150 in Melbourne — said the Melbourne system was the "most legalistic, dislocating process anywhere in the world" and harmed victims.

"It was set up by a law firm for the archbishop (then George Pell) to deflect financial liability," she said.

The payments offered were not honest compensation, just out-of-pocket costs, and pastoral care was highly deficient, she said.

Payments could be low because the church knew most victims could not afford to go to court. If they did "bring out the big stick", only then would the church negotiate.

Vicar-General Les Tomlinson said the Victorian Victims of Crime Assistance Act made up to $60,000 available to most applicants, and similar compensation schemes in other states had limits at or below $75,000.

Monsignor Tomlinson emphasised that ex gratia payments were not made on behalf of the offender.

"The process is analogous to statutory crimes compensation schemes where the state, while not liable for the misdeeds of an offender, provides financial assistance to victims," he said.

"Sexual abuse by clergy has caused serious damage to victims, to the church and the broader community. The archbishop … believes the increase is an important and appropriate step."

This article was found at:

http://www.theage.com.au/national/catholics-lift-sexual-abuse-pay-20090423-agta.html