Pledge for survivors at Christian Brothers schools in order’s Oceania province

SURVIVORS of child sexual abuse at Christian Brothers schools in the order’s Oceania province are likely to get full compensation, after a backdown by Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA), an organisation established by the order in 2007.

EREA, to which the order transferred valuable properties, including a number of private schools, for as little as a $A1 each, has agreed to meet all the order’s current and future abuse claims.

EREA had previously refused to replace the Christian Brothers as the defendant to court claims. But, on Friday, both entities issued statements indicating that EREA had agreed to help to “compensate victims and survivors of historical abuse claims against the Christian Brothers in full”.

Earlier this month, the order, which is facing liquidation after paying out more than $A480 million in compensation, won a court moratorium on all current and future civil sexual-abuse claims while it sought permission to create a creditors’ scheme.

There are more than 240 current and prospective claimants, whose claims could not be met in full under the scheme. This caused an outcry by lawyers and victim advocates. At that time, EREA declined to assist.

EREA released a statement on Friday in which its chair of the trustees, Dr Stephen Brown, said: “By supporting a revised scheme of arrangement we are committed to supporting those who have suffered abuse.

“We support the revised scheme because it is simply the right thing to do for victims and survivors to provide them a just and sustainable pathway. This decision will also support the long-term sustainability of the educational ministry, including more than 44,000 students entrusted to EREA’s stewardship.”

EREA has been described as being in “robust financial health” by The Sydney Morning Herald, in an article about its latest financial report. EREA told parents and schools that its schools would be unaffected by the new arrangement, which will need to be approved by both creditors and the New South Wales Supreme Court.

The Federal Social Services Minister, Tanya Plibersek, said that the federal government welcomed the proposed new arrangement. “We now expect that Edmund Rice Education Australia, like all redress-scheme participants, will act in good faith to resolve all current and future redress matters concerning them or the Christian Brothers,” she said.