The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was a five-year national inquiry, from 2013 to 2017, into how Australian institutions responded to child sexual abuse. It examined schools, churches, government agencies, sporting bodies, and community organisations. Its work led directly to the National Redress Scheme and to the removal of time limits on civil claims, which is why many survivors can bring a claim today.

This page explains what the Royal Commission was, what it found, which institutions it examined, and what it means if you are considering a compensation claim.

This page discusses the Royal Commission’s public findings as a matter of historical and legal record. It does not make findings or allegations against any institution. Where institutions are named, this reflects matters the Royal Commission itself examined and reported on publicly.

What was the Royal Commission?

The Royal Commission was announced by then Prime Minister Julia Gillard on 12 November 2012 and established on 11 January 2013. It had six Commissioners, chaired by Justice Peter McClellan AM.

The three earlier reports covered working with children checks (2015), redress and civil litigation (2015), and criminal justice (2017).

It is important to understand what the Royal Commission was not. It was not a court. It could not find anyone guilty of a crime or award compensation to individual survivors. Its role was to investigate, document, and recommend. Deciding individual claims is the role of the civil courts and compensation schemes.

Key findings

Each case study examined a particular institution or group of institutions, but several findings recurred across the Royal Commission’s work:

• Institutions failed to respond to complaints. When children or their families raised concerns, institutions often put their own reputations ahead of children’s safety. Allegations were dismissed, minimised, or handled informally instead of being reported to police.
• Offenders were moved, not removed. Known or suspected offenders were transferred between schools and parishes, sometimes interstate, where they had access to new children who knew nothing of their history.
• Records were poor or deliberately limited. Information about allegations was often held informally by a few senior people and not passed on. This still makes it hard for survivors and their lawyers to establish what an institution knew and when.
• Secrecy protected institutions, not children. Treating allegations as internal matters shielded institutions from scrutiny and left children at risk.

What the Royal Commission led to

The Royal Commission’s recommendations produced several changes that directly affect survivors today.

The National Redress Scheme

The Royal Commission recommended a national redress scheme, which led to the National Redress Scheme. It began on 1 July 2018. The Scheme may suit some people where a civil claim isn’t viable, but payments are capped at $150,000, a figure rarely reached in practice, and many payments are significantly lower. Accepting a Scheme payment permanently extinguishes your right to bring a civil claim. Applications close on 30 June 2027, so we strongly recommend independent legal advice before applying. Read our review of the National Redress Scheme.

No time limit on civil claims

Between 2015 and 2018, every Australian state and territory removed the time limits that had stopped many survivors from suing. NSW did so in 2016. In most cases it is now not too late to bring a civil claim, however long ago the abuse happened, although individual circumstances still matter. Read more about limitation periods for historical abuse claims.

Fewer legal barriers to suing institutions

Case Study 8 examined how the Catholic Church defended a claim by John Ellis, who was unable to sue the Church as an entity. Following the Royal Commission, NSW changed the law so that survivors can sue unincorporated organisations, such as many churches, through a nominated defendant. NSW courts can also now set aside some past settlements. See NSW courts to break unfair settlements.

Better child safeguarding

Many institutions have since introduced child safety policies, stronger reporting obligations, and working with children checks, reflecting the Royal Commission’s recommendations.

What the Royal Commission didn’t fix

The Royal Commission was a landmark inquiry, but its powers were limited. It could not make institutions admit fault in individual cases or order compensation. In some instances, evidence given by institutions was later shown to be incomplete or misleading, without consequence from the Royal Commission itself.

Our article What the Royal Commission on child abuse didn’t fix: Andrew Coffey vs Shore looks at this gap through one survivor’s case.

The Royal Commission documented the problem on a national scale. For an individual outcome that reflects the harm you have suffered, a civil compensation claim remains the main route for most survivors.

Institutions examined by the Royal Commission

The table below lists case studies relevant to institutions we have published information about. The full list of all 57 case studies is on the Royal Commission’s website.

If your institution isn’t listed

The Royal Commission could not examine every institution where abuse occurred. Many survivors have valid claims arising from schools, churches, sports clubs, foster care, and other settings that were never the subject of a public hearing.

The removal of time limits applies whether or not your institution was examined. If your school or organisation isn’t listed, it does not mean you don’t have a claim. We assess every survivor’s circumstances individually.

Speak with us in confidence

If you were affected by abuse at an institution, whether or not it is listed on this page, we can help you understand your options in a confidential first consultation, without obligation.

Call 02 9283 5599 or use the free, confidential call-back form below.

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