Jehovah's Witnesses formally join the National Redress Scheme (Australia)

by Corney 5 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  Corney

  The Jehovah's Witnesses have formally signed up to the national redress scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, more than a year after they were named and shamed for holding out.
  The federal government has announced another 34 organisations have joined the compensation program, allowing 37 stalled applications for financial support to finally be processed.
  More than 11,800 redress applications have been received so far, with around half having been processed and almost $530 million in payments made.
  A total of 526 organisations have signed up to the scheme, along with the Commonwealth and all state and territory governments.
  The Jehovah's Witnesses were one of six of the original hold-outs, named by Social Services Minister Anne Ruston in June last year.
  Access to government grants were cut off, and the government sought to challenge the charitable status and tax concessions offered to such organisations as a punishment.
  "We think that these strong sanctions have obviously had an impact on the Jehovah's Witnesses reconsidering their decision not to join," Senator Ruston said.

  Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-10/jehovahs-witnesses-sign-up-to-sexual-abuse-redress-scheme/100449204

  To beter understand the background:

  Submission made by Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses (Australasia) to the (Parliamentary) Joint Select Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme on 30 October 2020, providing the reasons for not joining the Scheme.

  Press release of 3 March 2021, explaining the U-turn
• 

  Corney

  Press release issued by Minister Senator Ruston (Department of Social Services):

  Jehovah’s Witnesses now participating in the National Redress Scheme

  
  Jehovah’s Witnesses has now joined the National Redress Scheme allowing survivors of this institution to have their applications progressed.
  In addition to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a further 33 institutions are joining the Scheme including Tennis Australia, Ipswich Girl’s Grammar School, St John Ambulance Australia Queensland, Youth Off the Streets and Scripture Union Tasmania. This announcement means that, in total, 37 applications can be progressed.
  Minister for Families and Social Services Anne Ruston welcomed the commitment from the latest group of institutions to join the Scheme, many of which had not been named in an application.
  "The Morrison Government has been absolutely clear that we expect institutions which have been named by a survivor in an application to join the National Redress Scheme,” Minister Ruston said.
  “It is clear that the powerful financial, reputational and legislative levers the Commonwealth has used have been successful at ensuring institutions understand and recognise their moral obligation to survivors.
  “We are also working hard to make sure that every institution with a history of working with young people joins the Scheme no matter when a survivor comes forward to access redress through the Scheme.”
  Minister Ruston reminded institutions that when the Scheme received an application, that institution then has six months to join the Scheme.
  “Any institution which fails to participate will be named and shamed, become ineligible for Commonwealth grants and risk being stripped of their charitable status and, therefore, lose associated tax concessions,” Minister Ruston said.

  https://ministers.dss.gov.au/media-releases/7571
  
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  smiddy3

  Access to government grants were cut off, and the government sought to challenge the charitable status and tax concessions offered to such organisations as a punishment.

  "We think that these strong sanctions have obviously had an impact on the Jehovah's Witnesses reconsidering their decision not to join," Senator Ruston said.

  It`s always about the money with Jehovah`s Witnesses and not their moral ethical obligations to the victims.
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  truth_b_known

  I wonder if the Australian government provides statistics in the number of persons who successfully petition for the funds and the amount awarded by each group the claim is made against. For example -

  2021 - Jehovah's Witnesses - 17 petitioners granted funds - total: $2.7 million

  Imagine being a Witness headed to the contribution box knowing that their donation is going to pay for the Witness victims of child sex abuse in which the perpetrator is a fellow Witness.
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  Diogenesister

  I think they were worried that if Australia stripped them of their charitable status other countries, particularly those in the Commonwealth or those having problems with the Orgs attitude to CSA, may have followed suit.

  It's such a red herring for the org to say they don't have the organizational structures in place to work with children. Witness kids are routinely baptised. Once baptised a witness is obliged to participate in the preaching work, in conjunction with the congregation, in order to remain an active publisher. They are also given other assignments by the congregation ranging from talks & meeting parts to cleaning etc

  It's true these things aren't specifically for children. In fact children are expected to work to support the congregation in the same manner an adult would, these activities all being directed by the organization.

  So I feel witness children are a good deal more vulnerable in many ways because they are given no special consideration, do not have their own activities and are expected to take the same risks an adult would.
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  Diogenesister

  I find the press release explaining the U-turn on joining particularly repugnant.

  Joining because it's the law gives them plausible deniability with their members.

  "We joined because it's the law Sister! Not because we have any CSA problems. Perish the thought!"