Relatives of attack victims call for more government compensation
Alex Ryvchin, co-chairman of the Executive Council of Australian Jews, said: “Families of the dead have repeatedly told me that the compensation programs available to them were inadequate and bureaucratic, which in some cases compounded their trauma… We are a generous nation and can afford to alleviate the uncertainty and anxiety caused by the financial hardship that results from such devastating circumstances.”
Noting that many of those affected had emigrated to Australia from the Soviet Union and lived in public housing, Ryvchin said: “I cannot imagine a more valuable public expenditure than a significant fund to quickly and generously assist those experiencing the unimaginable.”
People paid their respects to the victims of the Bondi attack last month.Credit: Jessica Hromas
Independent MP Allegra Harcama, whose Wentworth electorate includes Bondi, said she had concerns about the level of compensation provided to survivors and victims’ families.
“Based on community feedback, I have increased the level of victim compensation with the federal and state governments,” Spending said. “The devastating impact on those who lose someone or are seriously injured is profound and lifelong, and compensation must reflect this.”
The federal and NSW governments announced a jointly funded support package for victims and their families, local businesses and Sydney’s Jewish community four days after the attack.
A joint press release on December 18 said there would be “enhancements” to NSW’s existing victim support programme, “including financial support for injured victims and their immediate families”, including funeral costs and repatriation of remains.
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Under the NSW support package, victims who suffer physical injuries from gunshot or shrapnel during an attack are entitled to a lump sum payment of $35,000.
Family members of those killed in the attack, including spouses, de facto partners, parents, children and siblings, are eligible to receive payments of $75,000 less applicable payments of $7,500 or $15,000.
The package also included funding $2 million for Jewish community organizations to support victims’ families, $1 million for legal services and Jewish-organized mental health triage, and another $3.6 million for support workers to care for affected individuals and families.
The federal government offers victim support payments of up to $75,000 for Australians affected by terrorist attacks overseas but has no established program for domestic attacks.
Victims of the Lindt cafe siege in Sydney in 2014 were not offered federal aid by the Abbott government but received support of up to $15,000 from the NSW government.
Michele Goldman, president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, said the NSW government had “moved quickly to provide support and been incredibly responsive”.
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