Media Release: Jehovah’s Witnesses now participating in the National Redress Scheme

Jehovah’s Witnesses has now joined the National Redress Scheme allowing survivors of this institution to have their applications progressed.

In addition to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a further 33 institutions are joining the Scheme including Tennis Australia, Ipswich Girl’s Grammar School, St John Ambulance Australia Queensland, Youth Off the Streets and Scripture Union Tasmania. This announcement means that, in total, 37 applications can be progressed.

Minister for Families and Social Services Anne Ruston welcomed the commitment from the latest group of institutions to join the Scheme, many of which had not been named in an application.

"The Morrison Government has been absolutely clear that we expect institutions which have been named by a survivor in an application to join the National Redress Scheme,” Minister Ruston said.

“It is clear that the powerful financial, reputational and legislative levers the Commonwealth has used have been successful at ensuring institutions understand and recognise their moral obligation to survivors.

“We are also working hard to make sure that every institution with a history of working with young people joins the Scheme no matter when a survivor comes forward to access redress through the Scheme.”

Minister Ruston reminded institutions that when the Scheme received an application, that institution then has six months to join the Scheme.

“Any institution which fails to participate will be named and shamed, become ineligible for Commonwealth grants and risk being stripped of their charitable status and, therefore, lose associated tax concessions,” Minister Ruston said.

To date, the Commonwealth, all state and territory governments and 526 non-government institutions across Australia are participating in the Scheme.

As at 3 September 2021, the Scheme has received 11,835 applications. In total 6,208 payments have been made totalling more than $529.3 million.

Further information about the National Redress Scheme is available on the website: www.nationalredress.gov.au