Bird v DP

The Victorian government is seeking to overturn the High Court’s decision in Bird v DP which held that instituions cannot be held vicariously liable for individuals who are not technically employees.

The Catholic Church grapples with decades of abuse scandals. Pope Leo XIV’s reforms and Australia’s legal response signal a new era of accountability and survivor-led change.

Nearly a decade after the Royal Commission exposed systemic abuse across Australia’s institutions, survivors continue to face formidable legal barriers. The High Court’s decision in Bird v DP (2024) has reignited debate over institutional accountability, prompting the ACT to lead a new wave of reform.

The ACT proposes broader organisational liability for child abuse after Bird v DP. This Q&A explains what’s changing, why survivors’ groups support reform, why Scouts ACT is concerned, and what these changes could mean for community organisations and survivors.

A landmark Catholic Church abuse case has reached the High Court, focusing on whether dioceses owe a non-delegable duty of care to children abused by clergy. The outcome could reshape survivor claims across Australia.

The Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle is appealing a landmark ruling that found it liable for the 1969 sexual abuse of a student by Father Ron Pickin.

In a significant legal development, the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle has been held liable for the actions of Father Pickin, who died in 2015, but who had been a Scripture teacher accused of abusing children under their care.

On April 3, 2023, the Supreme Court of Victoria upheld the right of a survivor of child sexual abuse to hold the church accountable and seek compensation for the abuse committed by a paedophile priest.