F. Glossary

Application: The application is available online or by paper. You can make an application at any time between now and 30 June 2027.

Attorney-General: An Attorney-General is the government Minister responsible for the Law.

Australian citizens and permanent residents: This means someone who is legally a citizen of Australia or holds a permanent resident visa.

Child: A child is a person under the age of 18.

Child Sexual Abuse: Under the Scheme, child sexual abuse is when someone involves a person under the age of 18 in sexual activities that they do not understand, or that are against community standards.

Gaol: Gaol includes: Prison (pending trial or sentencing), Remand Centres, Youth Training Centre, and Community Correction Centres.

Independent Decision Maker: Independent Decision makers will consider applications for redress. They are highly experienced people from a range of backgrounds.

Institution: An institution means an organisation, such as a school, a church, parish, mission, a club, an orphanage or Children’s Home; or government department.

Institutional Child Sexual Abuse: When the child sexual abuse occurred, for example, on the premises of an institution, or where activities of an institution took place (such as a camp), or by an official of an institution.

National Redress Scheme: The Australian Government set up the National Redress Scheme to provide redress to people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse. The offer of redress can include: access to counselling, a redress payment and a direct personal response.

Nominee: A person nominated to act on behalf of a person applying for redress. They need to fill in the Redress Nominee Form.

Permanent resident: Someone who can stay in Australia permanently.

Redress: Redress means acknowledging harm done. The National Redress Scheme provides counselling, a direct personal response and a Redress payment.

Review: If you do not agree with a decision we make, you can ask us to look at it again. This is done by a different Independent Decision Maker.

Scheme: The National Redress Scheme for people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse. See National Redress Scheme.

Withdraw: To stop an application being considered by the Independent Decision Maker and National Redress Scheme.