The National Memorial for Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse (the Memorial) was a recommendation (17.6) of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Royal Commission).
In 2020, the Australian Government committed funding towards the establishment of the Memorial in Canberra. Following the funding commitment, an Advisory Group was established to assist with the development and delivery of this important project. The Advisory Group membership includes people with lived experience of institutional child sexual abuse alongside other experts to advise on key aspects of the Memorial's design, including the purpose, location, and key attributes.
The NCA is overseeing the design and construction of the Memorial on behalf of the Department of Social Services (DSS), which is responsible for the delivery of the Government’s commitment in response to the recommendation of the Royal Commission.
On 12 April 2021, the Australian Government launched a design competition to select a preferred design scheme for the Memorial. The competition closed on 21 May 2021 with 35 entries received from across Australia.
The competition Jury was comprised of four people with lived experience of institutional child sexual abuse and five other relevant experts. Judging to select a preferred scheme from the design competition entries was finalised on 21 December 2021. The preferred design scheme was approved as the design for the Memorial by the Canberra National Memorials Committee on 20 January 2022.
The selected design for the Memorial is ‘Transparency and Truth’, submitted by Jessica Spresser and Peter Besley.
Further details regarding the selected design and commended entries are available by watching the video below or by reviewing the Jury Report.
The design concept is undergoing technical assessment and refinement prior to the commencement of construction.
Further information regarding the Memorial is available on the Department of Social Services website
Please direct enquires associated with the design and construction of the Memorial to: RCMemorial@nca.gov.au
All other questions should be directed to the Department of Social Services at: RCMemorial@dss.gov.au
The Design Competition for the National Memorial for Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse (VSICSA) was open for entries from 12 April 2021 to 21 May 2021. The judging process experienced ongoing delays due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The jury has met and is currently deliberating on the designs with a decision due by the end of 2021. The Canberra National Memorials Committee must endorse the selected design before it can be publicly announced (expected in early 2022).
The design competition for the National Memorial for Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse is now closed.
The next step of the design competition will see the Jury select the preferred scheme for approval by the Canberra National Memorials Committee.
Entrant registration has been extended to midnight 12 May 2021.
Please note that there will be no other changes to key dates outlined in Part 2.5 of the Design Competition Brief.
Soft copy submissions are due Friday 21 May 2021.
Our work is on the land of the Ngunnawal People, Ngunnawal Country. We pay our respects to their Elders – past, present and emerging.