Submission to parliamentary inquiry reveals Geraldton Catholic diocese’s average payout is more than $170k

The average civil payout to survivors of institutional sex abuse in the Catholic Diocese of Geraldton is more than $170,000, Geraldton’s Bishop has revealed to a parliamentary inquiry. In a submission to the inquiry into options available to survivors of institutional sexual abuse in WA who are seeking justice, Bishop of Geraldton Michael Morrissey said the Geraldton diocese had received 11 claims of civil litigation, nine of which had resulted in a financial payment to claimants averaging $171, 875. Twenty-five claims had been received through the National Redress Scheme, of which 15 had resulted in an average payout of $30,936. Two civil litigation matters and four through the NRS are still to be finalised. Bishop Morrissey told the inquiry 10 individuals within the Geraldton Diocese have had child sex abuse allegations made against them. The average time it took to finalise civil litigation was 20 months, while it was much shorter — nine months — for NRS claims. Civil litigation is dispute resolution which goes through the court system, and is one of two ways victims can seek compensation and justice. The other method for survivors to seek justice is the NRS, a scheme set up to help victims of institutional child sexual abuse gain access to counselling, a direct personal response and a redress payment. In 2018, WA lifted the statutory time limits for survivors to pursue civil action against institutions, meaning they can now seek compensation no matter when they were abused. In a submission to inquiry chair, MP David Honey, Bishop Morrissey explained both processes as long, arduous and acknowledged the difficulty of dredging up trauma for victims — but also for the church. “I believe the long-drawn-out process is quite demeaning and traumatising for survivors, yet it is often the only option available to them,” he said. “For a small diocese like Geraldton, seeking to honour those who come forward with a complaint, seeking a response and justice is a very difficult situation. We wish to engage fruitfully with the complainant but cannot. We are seen as opponents or combatants, instead of compassionate listeners and this doesn’t assist with healing. “Civil cases also drain the staff of our small team, both emotionally and workload.” Bishop Morrissey said problems with the NRS included the burden of proof was “negligible”. “It is more often than not unclear who the alleged abuser was, with often no name or physical description given and has no avenue for the diocese to defend itself,” he submitted. Bishop Morrissey said the diocese was committed to engaging with any survivor with compassion to help them find closure. Under the NRS, it was often the case the applicant did not follow through with a direct personal response from the Bishop once they had received an acknowledgment and redress payment. Changes brought in since the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse were supposed to make it easier for survivors to pursue their abusers in the courts. Bishop Morrissey is also the apostolic administrator for the Broome diocese after Bishop Christopher Saunders resigned in 2020 following allegations of sexual misconduct.