The former chairman of the ABC, David Hill, has urged Prince Charles to speak up to ensure a UK-based company pays child migrants who were abused in Australia.
Thousands of children were sent to five Fairbridge Society Institutions in Australia, the largest of which were in Pinjarra, Western Australia, and Molong in New South Wales.
Many have documented the emotional, physical, and sexual abuse they suffered.
The Australian government last year stepped in to pay redress claims after negotiations with UK-based Fairbridge Restored, which was set up by UK-based charity The Prince's Trust, broke down.
Administrators for Fairbridge Restored said it was now identifying claimants, separate to the redress scheme, which would require the support of the UK courts, and wanted to provide payments to survivors "as soon as is practicable".
One of the lucky ones
Mr Hill was born in the UK and spent three years at Fairbridge Farm School in Molong with two of his brothers after his impoverished single mother was promised better opportunities for her children.
His latest book, Reckoning, is his account of the long fight for justice from those who went through child migration.
"We were luckier than most because my mum managed to follow us out, and we got back together as a family," he said.
The original Fairbridge Society has long been defunct but was incorporated into Prince Charles's personal charity, The Prince's Trust, in 2012.
The Prince's Trust then reinstated Fairbridge Restored Ltd as an independent body, promising to sign up to Australia's National Redress Scheme to compensate children who were sexually abused at Fairbridge farm schools.
Last year negotiations broke down despite best intentions, amid legal difficulties, forcing the Australian government to directly fund redress for survivors.
Administrators for Fairbridge Restored said it would look at ways to provide direct compensation that would be separate from Australia's redress scheme.
Mr Hill said Prince Charles now needed to watch carefully to ensure that would happen.
"The Prince's Trust still insists that they're going to pay compensation. [The trust] told me that they hope to have details of their scheme within the next couple of weeks.
"But they've been saying that for literally years, so we'll have to wait and see."
Deep connections with the royal family
Mr Hill said, from the earliest days of the Fairbridge Society just before World War I, it had deep connections with the royal family.
The Queen's uncle, the Duke of Gloucester had been patron of The Fairbridge Society, and Prince Charles had visited the Pinjarra farm school in WA.
There is no suggestion Prince Charles was aware of any allegation of abuse.
Mr Hill said survivors of the child migration scheme had been put through further pain through the "incompetent" way the dealings with the national redress scheme had been handled.
He said the pledge for direct payments needed to be made good.
Views differ in WA
Perth man Ric Hinch is president of the Old Fairbridgians Association, which represents dozens of people, most in their 70s and 80s, who went to the Fairbridge Farm School in Pinjarra, south of Perth, in the 1950s and 60s.
He said The Prince's Trust was never involved in child migration but agreed child migrants should be getting some money from Fairbridge Restored, noting the past association of the royal family with Fairbridge.
"How that money gets in there, I don't really care," he said.
"I don't care if the British government puts it in, or whether Prince Charles puts it in.
But he said he felt the Australian government should also bear the financial cost of giving redress to child migrants — given it had been active in facilitating the scheme.
Administrators say money is coming
Fairbridge Restored is officially in administration, and a spokesperson said it had held lengthy discussions with the relevant parties to try to find a legally workable solution.
They said funds had now been received and claimants were being identified.
"Following receipt of funds, the administrators believe they are also now in a position to progress with identification of potential claimants and to propose a process for distributing funds among agreed claims, which will require support from UK courts," the spokesperson said.
The Prince's Trust referred all queries to Fairbridge Restored Limited.
Prince Charles's office has also been approached for comment.
'Sad and sorry episode'
Mr Hill said while the child migration exercise was well-intentioned, it should never have happened.
"They thought that discipline, hard work, and a roof over their heads was enough," he said.
"There was absolutely no regard for the nurturing or loving of a child.
"It was a sad and sorry episode that should never have happened.
"And I hope — and I'm pretty confident — it would never happen again. At least we've got that."
