The federal government scoffed at the need for a national redress scheme and said it will not be involved. It would be too time-consuming, too complex and too costly. The government, although invited, did not send a representative to these hearings. The Royal Commissioners were reported as being "disappointed" by the government's rejection of "… an approach that is overwhelmingly supported … as being most likely to ensure a just, fair and consistent outcome for all victims…"

This haughty rebuff of the Royal Commission's proposal to co-ordinate such a redress scheme is indicative of the Abbott government's contempt for child victims of sex crimes. But what it means in reality, for the estimated 65,000 survivors of child sex crimes in this country, is that our federal government is telling these already vulnerable people, to bugger off and go and fend for themselves. If they want compensation, they should go back and fight the institution where the crimes occurred.

It is well documented, by my research and the two inquiries, that victims who have gone back to the Catholic church, for example, looking for justice, have come away not only traumatised and abused by that experience, but with insultingly puny amounts of ex gratia compensation, if anything at all.

It seem that when it comes to money, things get mean and dirty.

The potential ripple effects of this blatant abandonment are disturbing. Families and communities around the country are trying to prevent further suicides of loved ones who were sexually assaulted as children. In the region of Ballarat, there have been at least 10 reported suicides in the last twelve months alone. This is to be added to the pre-existing 45-50 victims in this region who took their own lives in the years following child sex crimes. Tragically, similar statistics are repeated in other regions. Victims and their families have been fighting for recognition and justice for decades and great victories were achieved when the Victorian Inquiry and the Royal Commission were established. But "for what?" they say now. Such is the impact on victims of the government's abusive and regressive response to the Royal Commission's soundly researched proposal.