Queensland's Labor opposition will introduce a private member's bill this week aimed at closing a legal loophole that prevents some victims of institutional abuse from seeking justice. The move follows a 2024 High Court decision that found the Catholic Church was not vicariously liable for abuse by a priest because he was not an employee, only in a similar arrangement.
Shadow attorney-general Meaghan Scanlon said the loophole is 'protecting paedophiles and the institutions that gave them power.' She criticized the Crisafulli government for failing to act over a year after the High Court ruling. 'Queensland survivors deserve their day in court,' Scanlon said.
The ACT and Victoria have already passed legislation expanding liability for churches, sporting groups, and other organizations. Western Australia has introduced similar legislation, but it has been delayed due to disagreements in the upper house.
Abuse survivor Diane Carpenter, who was a ward of the state and sexually abused by a priest at age eight, said 'everybody deserves a pathway to justice.' Fellow survivor Val Cooper added that legislative inaction 'just kills' survivors.
Premier David Crisafulli said the High Court ruling 'might very well close that loophole' but noted that many believe the issue needs to be resolved at a federal level.
