PM to offer child abuse apology

A HISTORIC prime ministerial apology to child sexual abuse survivors, victims and their families will be offered in parliament later this year.

Outlining a formal response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse yesterday, Malcolm Turnbull said he would officially say sorry on October 22, coinciding with national children’s week.

The Government will also create a national office for child safety, which was a recommendation of the commission. Mr Turnbull said a child safety framework was being developed, and working with children checks would be nationalised.

“It’s been harrowing work, and the compassion and the respect shown by the royal commissioners and their staff has set us on a pathway to real change,” Mr Turnbull said.

“Now we’ve uncovered the truth, we must do everything in our power to honour the bravery of the thousands of people who came forward.”

The then prime minister Julia Gillard set up the royal commission in 2013.

Mr Turnbull, flanked by Social Services Minister Dan Tehan and Attorney-General Christian Porter, said the Government had accepted in principle 104 of the 122 recommendations of the commission which fell under federal jurisdiction.

“We’ve already acted on many of the recommendations — the additional 18 recommendations have been noted, as they require further consideration,” he said.

Western Australia will sign up to the national redress scheme before its July 1 start date, so the scheme will cover all states and territories.

Mr Tehan said 93 per cent of abuse survivors were expected to be covered by the scheme, which it was hoped the Senate would approve in the next fortnight.