You will get an email letting you know after you’ve submitted your application online.
If we need more information to help assess your application, we may need to contact you.
If you have any questions or concerns about this, you can contact us by:
- phone on 1800 716 870 (free call) between 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday (public holidays).
- email at victorianredress@dffh.vic.gov.au.
Receiving an offer
If you are eligible, you will be sent a letter of offer for redress.
The letter will:
- state the amount of redress payment
- explain how to access counselling
- give information on the personal acknowledgement or apology process
- explain the timeframe to accept, decline or request a review of the offer.
Accepting an offer
If you want to accept your offer, you (or your legal nominee) will need to:
- sign, date and return the letter to us
- confirm your bank details for the redress payment.
The Redress support team can talk to you about the counselling and the personal acknowledgement or apology process.
If you are not eligible, you will receive a letter explaining why and the review process.
If you die before the department finishes processing your application, the department can give the payment to a person you chose (such as a beneficiary).
Authority to contact
If you want the department to get in touch with you about counselling, or the personal acknowledgement and apology process, you need to complete the ‘authority to contact’ section in your offer letter.
Tick the option you want more information about before signing the letter.
When ready, send the signed letter and form back to the department by:
- scanning a copy and emailing it to victorianredress@dffh.vic.gov.au.
- posting it to Redress for Historical Institutional Abuse, GPO Box 4057, Melbourne 3000.
If you have a support person, or legal nominee, the department can contact them on your behalf. Your support person or legal nominee will also need to fill in an ‘authority to contact’ form. We will send the form to them.
Redress payment
Once a redress offer is accepted and a financial payment is to be made, this payment will be sent to your chosen bank account in one lump sum payment.
You do not need to include the payment in your tax return as it is not considered income.
You may need to tell Centrelink about the redress payment, so it doesn't affect your benefits.
Request a review
If you think there has been a mistake, you can ask for a review. The department will organise for a different department representative to review your application.
You may need to give new information to help with the review.
Decline an offer
You can decline an offer of redress.
You can do so by filling in and returning the letter of offer to the Redress team.
If you decline an offer, you will not be able to apply for Redress for Historical Institutional Abuse again.
Contact us
If you have any questions, contact the Redress team by:
- phone on 1800 716 870 (free call) between 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).
- email at victorianredress@dffh.vic.gov.au