Redress refusers will pay, says PM

PRIME Minister Scott Morrison is “not kidding” when he says religious and other institutions that don’t join the national child abuse redress scheme will lose public funding.

Mr Morrison and Social Services Minister Anne Ruston have written to the institutions warning they risk losing funding and tax concessions, and being named and shamed, if they fail to sign up by Tuesday’s deadline.

“Anne Ruston and I are not kidding, we expect people to sign up and if you don’t want to sign up then I won’t be signing any cheques,” he told Sydney radio 2GB yesterday.

He also reiterated a threat to “consider their charitable status”. In the letter sent to 25 institutions, Mr Morrison and Senator Ruston said if they didn’t join the scheme they would be “doubling down” on the crime of child abuse.

“All institutions are doing in not joining is doubling down on the crime and doubling down on the hurt,” they said in the letter sent out on Friday.

“We consider it to be reprehensible that you have failed to sign up to the scheme.”

The Jehovah’s Witnesses is among the organisations that have refused to sign up, arguing it does not have the institutional settings of other faithbased institutions that the redress scheme is designed to cover.

Senator Ruston is set to name the non-participating institutions on Wednesday when she will announce what action the Federal Government will take against them.

“We urge you to join the scheme, not because of concerns about being identified but because it is the right thing to do,” the minister and Mr Morrison said.

“It is the right thing to do by survivors and their families and it is what every, decent, honest, Australian demands.”

WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO SIGN UP AND IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SIGN UP THEN I WON’T BE SIGNING ANY CHEQUES SCOTT MORRISON

The letter confirmed financial sanctions including the removal of charitable status and tax concessions were possible.

“Institutions that do not provide a clear statement of intent by 30 June 2020 will be publicly identified and the Government is considering other actions including the appropriateness of future funding and tax status.”

Legal service Knowmore’s Anna Swain said survivors hoped institutions did the right thing, but expected some victims would miss out.

“There will be many people who are left incredibly distressed and disappointed,” Ms Swain said.