Dilworth leaders accused of disrespecting survivors

The Dilworth Trust and its chairman were slammed by abuse survivors for being absent from the Royal Commission today.

Lawyers representing a group of 130 former students taking a class action lawsuit against the school gave their closing addresses and said the absence of leaders was noted.

Rachael Reed KC said, "Still to this day, Mr Snodgrass has not met us, and when I last looked, he was not in attendance today, to be heard.

"It's the dismissal of the survivor voice... not giving it that level of respect.

"They should be in the room," she told commissioners.

The school's lawyer Andrew Barker was there and claimed, "Flights were a difficulty and he wasn't able to change his work commitments he had for today, so his apology."

He reminded the commission that the class action lawyers were originally scheduled to give their closing address a day earlier.

Trust chairman Aaron Snodgrass appeared for questioning at the inquiry yesterday.

He was grilled about the current actions the school is taking to address historical abuse, including an independent inquiry and redress programme.

The redress will come in the form of personal apologies and capped financial compensation.

Reed, today, had a message for the school on behalf of her clients.

"It is not too late," she said.

"Dilworth can come to us, and come on our waka and do the right thing by [survivors].

"It is about determining first what is the right thing to do... rather than barrelling on with a redress process that is deficient, that does not meet their needs."

Survivor Neil Harding, who's been vocal on the matter, said the process has in no way been survivor-led.

"Sit down with us, let us tell you what's good for us, don't tell us what we're worth, don't put a cap on our lives."

Another victim of abuse, Greg Evans, who travelled from Australia to attend the hearing, said, "the question was answered as to the data that was used to compile the redress".

"I don't believe it is comparable to international standards."

But Snodgrass said they did look overseas, when setting their cap.

In regards to the set up of the programme, he admitted, "I think we could've done better."

He said, "we understand that best practice would've been to involve survivors in the complete set up."

The school's also been criticised by survivors for not waiting until after an independent inquiry to carry out the redress programme.

Snodgrass said he wanted to give Old Boys options.

"What we know through the engagement we had with the old boys, was that there are some that are really in need right now and we wanted to provide assistance," he said.

The Class Action Group wouldn't accept the claims by former leaders this week that abuse was not covered up.

READ MORE: Ex-Dilworth headmaster grilled over alleged actions to cover up abuse

Lawyer Ali Van Ammers said, "If Dilworth did not know the full scope and scale of abuse occurring within it's walls, well that's because it chose not to.

"Nothing that has come out over the last few days establishes that there was no cover-up."

The former Trust chairman Derek Firth, in his evidence, called victim Neil Harding "mischievously wrong" for suggesting the school had harboured and supported known offenders.

Harding was hurt by that comment. which he felt was targeting his integrity.

He said, "I would not understand what would have someone attack a survivor."

READ MORE: Ex-Dilworth leader blames school for not refuting cover-up allegations

Former headmaster Murray Wilton also called the police Operation Beverly team mischievous in his evidence, for suggesting a reference written for an abusive teacher was "glowing".

His written evidence also called the media "mischievous" in its reporting.

Today was the 133rd and final day of public hearings for the Royal Commission of Inquiry.

Chairwoman of the Royal Commission Judge Coral Shaw commented that it's been a long four years.

"It's not by any means the end of our work," she said.

"We are facing an even higher mountain to climb now."

She added, "we are still inviting survivors to come forward to give their accounts.”

Their final report to the Government is due in June next year and there will be a number of reports released in the interim.

That will include a case study on Lake Alice, expected before Christmas this year, and a Marylands School case study next year.