Progress report on implementation of Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recommendations

The Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP
Media Release

Minister for Social Services
The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP

Attorney-General
Cabinet Secretary
The Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP

Joint media release

The Albanese Government has today released the fifth annual progress report outlining implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

The report shows that all 206 Commonwealth-related recommendations from the Royal Commission are now implemented or in progress.

The Gillard Government established the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in 2013.

During its five-year investigation, the Royal Commission received 42,000 calls, 26,000 letters and emails and held more than 8,000 private sessions.

People revealed the immeasurable and lasting damage inflicted on them by those who were trusted to care for them.

The Albanese Government recognises the courage of victims and survivors in sharing their stories of abuse and is committed to providing the national leadership that will be critical to delivering on the recommendations of the Royal Commission.

Recommendations implemented in 2022 include:

  • The commencement of the Online Safety Act 2021, which gives the eSafety Commissioner new and stronger powers to remove and stop people from accessing online child exploitation material, regardless where the material is hosted;
  • The first national Safety of Children in Care report, which provides baseline data for ongoing monitoring and reporting. The data will be provided on an ongoing basis;
  • The establishment of the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse;
  • Increased access to the National Redress Scheme; and
  • Eighty-five national sporting organisations on track to adopt the National Integrity Framework by 31 December 2022, to provide a safe environment at all levels of sport.

In-progress recommendations include work towards an offender prevention program, a national awareness raising campaign, enhancing national approaches to children who have displayed harmful sexual behaviours, and improving national arrangements for sharing child safety and wellbeing information.

Today's report is a milestone as it is the last annual progress update until a 10-year review of the implementation in 2027.

By working on these recommendations we will to continue to advance safeguards that protect and support children so they are raised in safety with their wellbeing and potential realised.

Read the progress report

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