A NEW chapter is being written in the history of the former Fairbridge Farm School at Molong following the Supreme Court decision to award the ground-breaking $24 million payout to former child residents.
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For decades Fairbridge Farm School was a part of the Molong community with Orange residents also coming into contact with the children when they came in on their old school bus to play sport in competitions.
But most people had absolutely no idea the children were being subjected to such harsh conditions at the school which included cold showers in the winter as just a sample of the harsh physical, emotional and sexual abuse that would be outlined in the Supreme Court case just concluded.
There are many former child residents who have been able to move on with their lives without wanting to become involved in the class action. However for others the harsh reality is they have struggled with their memories of their treatment at Fairbridge all their lives.
While the financial compensation will in some measure go towards healing the haunting memories of the past, the tragedy is that nine of the original claimants died while waiting for justice.
The evidence presented to the Supreme Court which led to Friday’s formal granting of the compensation payout has not changed in seven years.
And while some might argue that in the years Fairbridge was operating society's views on discipline were very different to those which are part of our society in 2015, the level of abuse of young vulnerable children who must have felt so alone and unloved is unacceptable.
Former child residents had to go back to court an extraordinary 22 times, which was frustrating and heartbreaking for many, particularly as denials of any abuse came from so many quarters including members of the community and the Fairbridge Foundation, and NSW governments and Federal governments.