The Christian Brothers Catholic order is embroiled in a high-stakes battle over asset transfers that threaten to deprive abuse survivors of compensation. A recent hearing at the New South Wales supreme court has sparked concerns among government lawyers, who argue that the transfers may have been 'improper and inappropriate'.
According to reports, the Christian Brothers have transferred millions of pounds' worth of property to Edmund Rice Education Australia for a symbolic $1, sparking questions about the legitimacy of these transactions. The Christian Brothers estimate they owe £573m (approximately $774m) to survivors with current or future abuse claims against them.
The order has proposed a scheme to sell off their remaining assets, worth £143m (approximately $216m), and divide the proceeds between creditors, including survivors. However, the UK government's concerns suggest that this may not be sufficient to cover the outstanding debt owed to those affected by abuse.
A spokesperson for the Christian Brothers has previously stated that the asset transfers were part of a 'slow process' of transferring individual titles across multiple jurisdictions. However, critics argue that this may have resulted in the loss of assets that could have been used to compensate survivors.