South Australia Attorney-General Vickie Chapman

Limitations On Abuse Compensation Claims Removed

Victor P Taffa

State Government has removed a major barrier preventing people who were abused as children from obtaining compensation for the abuse they experienced.

Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said new laws have come into effect removing the statute of limitations on compensation claims for people who suffered abuse as children, including sexual abuse, serious physical abuse and related psychological abuse.

“As a Government, we believe that people who experienced abuse as children should be entitled to pursue compensation, regardless of when the abuse occurred.” Attorney-General Chapman said.

“This change reflects findings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse, which noted that limitation periods were excluding a number of people from lodging common law claims.”

“By removing this limitation, we are removing a barrier that denies justice to people who have experienced unthinkable suffering.”

Attorney-General Chapman said the change was one of a number of measures aimed at better supporting individuals who have been abused as children and supporting those who may be at risk of abuse.

“Just last week, we officially joined the National Redress Scheme, providing a simpler, streamlined alternative to pursuing compensation through the courts.” Attorney-General Chapman said.

“We have also delivered Carly’s Law. Laws that can help protect children from online predators who seek to abuse children and tough new laws that will see harsher penalties imposed on people who repeatedly breach intervention orders.”