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Criticism for abuse compo cap

Posted August 21, 2008 17:51:00
Updated August 21, 2008 20:59:00

There i criticism of the Tasmanian Government's decision to cap payments to people who were abused while in state care.

What was meant to be the final of two compensation rounds closed last month, but there's been political pressure to make the scheme open-ended to prevent people missing out.

The Government has now extended its compensation scheme, but capped the payment at $35,000, or just over half the original $60,000 on offer.

The Health and Human Services Minister, Lara Giddings, has defended the cap.

"It is the average of what has been paid out under the first three schemes," she said.

The Liberals' Brett Whiteley says it's a money-saving decision that means victims who apply in the future will be treated differently.

"A group of second class abuse victims," Mr Whiteley said.

The Greens' Cassy O'Connor says the cut in the maximum payment isn't a nice message to people who've already suffered terribly.

A former Tasmanian ward of the state has also criticised the move.

Victim, Lyn Northage, says while she welcomes the establishment of a trust fund, the $35,000 payments aren't enough.

"I'm disappointed that they're putting such a limited monetary restriction on it, but I'm very happy that it's going to be an ongoing process, that there's going to be a lot more people now being able to come forward and go through this process," she said.

A parliamentary committee will also look into past abuse and consider a formal apology.

Tags: community-and-society, child-abuse, government-and-politics, parliament, state-parliament, political-parties, labor-party, liberal-party, greens, law-crime-and-justice, sexual-offences, activism-and-lobbying, programs-and-initiatives, tas, hobart-7000, launceston-7250

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