After being falsely imprisoned for 20 years for the deaths of her four children, Kathleen Folbigg is finally receiving a $2 million ex-gratia payment as compensation from the NSW state government.
But despite the payday, Kathleen’s solicitor Rhanee Rego is calling the amount received “profoundly unfair and unjust”.
“The system has failed Kathleen Folbigg again,” she said.
“Kathleen lost her four children she lost 20 of the best years of her life, and she continues to feel the lasting effects of this ongoing trauma.”
Rhanee is calling for an inquiry to find out how the NSW government settled on the $2 million payment, noting Lindy Chamberlain received $1.7 million in 1992 when she was acquitted of her daughter Azaria’s death after three years in prison.
“Kathleen Folbigg’s fight should be over. After being failed at her conviction and abused in prison, she is now being treated with contempt by the very system that should be making amends.”
BEHIND BARS
Since becoming a free woman in June 2023, Kathleen has been busy enjoying the simple pleasures of life.
The 57-year-old has moved into her own home, bought a car, learned how to change a tyre for the first time and adopted a white whippet-cross rescue dog, Snowie.
“She saved me, I saved her,” Kathleen told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“She offers unconditional love. But there are no strings. It’s pure.”
Once branded Australia’s worst serial killer, Kathleen was convicted of killing her four infant children, Caleb, Patrick, Sarah and Laura.
In October 2003, Kathleen was sentenced to 40 years in prison with a non-parole period of 30 years, which was reduced to 25 years after a successful appeal in February 2005.
A petition signed by more than 100 scientists insisted there were medical explanations for the deaths of her children.
It’s now known two of her children had a genetic mutation that led to their deaths.
In July this year, her lawyer Rhanee Rego applied on behalf of Kathleen to receive an ex-gratia payment to compensate her for spending a third of her life behind bars.
It’s expected this payment will be the largest compensation payout in Australian history, eclipsing the $1.3 million payment to Lindy and Michael Chamberlain in 1992.
A spokesperson for the NSW Attorney General, Michael Daley, and Premier, Chris Minns, says the application, which includes a 300-page account of Kathleen’s time in prison, is being carefully considered.
MPs are pushing for this payment to be hurried up.
Kathleen says this is not about “wanting money for the sake of money” and that once paid, she’ll donate some to genetic research, animal welfare groups and to funding additional transition centres for women leaving prison.
She’ll also use some of the money to buy a home and a “playmate” to keep Snowie company.
RECLAIMING LIFE
“I like the idea of being able to go to a rescue place because to me that’s pretty much like doggie jails,” she explained.
“They spend too long in there and sometimes some of them don’t ever get to come back out. It’s a dismal end for some.”
Kathleen still doesn’t know where her children’s ashes are, believing they have been “scattered somewhere”.
“I’ve had to sideline and put to bed the whole business of where my children’s ashes are,” she explained.
She is now putting her energy into reclaiming her own life.
“I want the people who helped me through this to get on with their lives and stop worrying about me,” she says.
