Woman wins right to sue Queensland over alleged historic sexual and physical abuse as a 'state child'

The high court has ruled an Aboriginal woman can pursue damages on some allegations of historical sexual and physical abuse while in state care in Queensland. Joanne Willmot, 70, had tried to sue the Queensland government for almost $1.76m in damages, claiming she suffered a psychiatric injury as a "state child" decades ago.

She alleged the state had failed to protect her when she was in their care, claiming she had been abused or assaulted in the 1950s and 1960s while living in a foster home, at a girls' dormitory and while visiting her grandmother. Willmot was placed into state care until she was 18 under the laws at the time that deemed the director of the state children's department had the "care, management and control" of all Aboriginal children. At age three, she was released into foster care with now-deceased Jack and Tottie Demlin between 1957 and 1959 where she was allegedly sexually abused on a weekly to fortnightly basis by her foster father and regularly beaten by the Indigenous couple.



Another girl in foster care with the Demlins – known as RS – provided a statement supporting the claims, alleging she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by the foster father and saw Willmot also being abused. Willmot was released back into a Cherbourg girls' dormitory near Murgon due to severe malnourishment and she claimed she suffered severe beatings and floggings for..

. Guardian staff reporter.