Time to change rules and strip honours from child abusers who’ve died, victims and advocates say

John Jolley was abused at St Andrews school hostel in Western Australia. He says stripping honours would be ‘a step forward for all sexual abuse victims’. Photograph: Frances Andrijich/The Guardian

The federal government should listen to the concerns of child sexual abuse survivors and allow Australian honours to be rescinded after perpetrators and enablers have died, campaigners say.

Awards given under the honours system can be rescinded while the recipient is still alive. Recipients can also be recognised posthumously. But once someone who received an honour has died, it cannot be revoked under the current rules.