Christian Brothers Oceania Province Seeks to Sell $216 Million in Assets to Compensate Abuse Victims

The Congregation of Christian Brothers Oceania Province announced it is seeking to sell its remaining assets valued at around $216 million to compensate victims of historical abuse at its institutions, Abc reported. The assets comprise about 36 properties around Australia.

The order stated that the money raised will not cover the full amount of compensation victims are entitled to now and into the future.

Christian Brothers said the order would come to an end at the conclusion of the asset sale. Schools established by the order, including St Mary's College in Melbourne, are owned by Edmund Rice Education Australia and will not be subject to the sale. The asset sale scheme must be approved by 50 per cent of creditors.

Christian Brothers stated it has paid in excess of $480 million in compensation and costs to claimants since 1980. The order noted that over the past ten years the number of claims and quantum of settlements has accelerated. It said it would seek a stay on current and future civil proceedings against it by abuse victims.

If the scheme is not approved by creditors, the order would be forced into liquidation, resulting in even less money being paid out, Christian Brothers said. Lawyer Laird Macdonald, who represents multiple victims of child sexual abuse at Christian Brothers institutions, said the move came as a shock to his clients.

No religious order in Australia has previously called together a collective group of plaintiff lawyers and said the cupboard is bare, he said.

Macdonald expressed concern that the move might provide a template for other orders to avoid paying victims proper compensation. He said the response from the Christian Brothers amounts to opting out because selected assets will not cover liability. The notion that the Christian Brothers across the board will disappear does not appear to be correct, Macdonald said.