The Committee will hold a public hearing on Friday for an inquiry into the National Redress Scheme to hear from knowmore Legal Service, who provide free legal advice and support to people applying for redress, and survivors about their experience accessing the Scheme.
The inquiry is looking into a range of areas, including:
- The experience of First Nations applicants and applicants with disability in their dealings with the Scheme.
- Accessibility, performance and effectiveness of support services and legal advice for survivors and their advocates.
A program for the public hearing will be available on the Committee’s website shortly.
Committee Chair Senator Catryna Bilyk said: ‘Throughout the inquiry, survivors and redress support services have told us about many different barriers that people experience when applying for redress. For example, we have heard evidence that suggests the redress application form can be hard to fill out, redress outcomes can be confusing or that the Scheme can be hard to contact.’
‘The Committee hopes to learn more about these barriers at Friday’s public hearing. This will assist us with making recommendations to government on how the Scheme could be improved.’
Full details of what the inquiry is examining can be found in the terms of reference on the Committee’s website. An easy English guide is also available.
Public hearing details
Friday 2 August 2024
10:00am to approximately 4:00pm (Canberra time)
Committee Room 1R5, Parliament House, Canberra
Listen online at www.aph.gov.au/News_and_Events/Watch_Parliament then click on a link marked ‘live streaming’ or visit https://www.youtube.com/@AUSParliamentLive.
Media inquiries
Office of Senator Catryna Bilyk
Daniel Hulme
0447 000 867
For background information
Joint Standing Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme
02 6277 4549
redress@aph.gov.au
Information about the Committee is available at https://www.aph.gov.au/redress.
