Kathleen Folbigg, who spent 20 years in prison for the wrongful conviction of killing her four children, has been offered A$2 million (£1.6 million) in compensation, a sum her lawyer has described as 'profoundly unfair and unjust'. The New South Wales government announced the ex-gratia payment on Thursday, following Folbigg's pardon and the quashing of her convictions in 2023.
Folbigg's lawyer, Rhanee Rego, said the amount was 'a moral affront – woefully inadequate and ethically indefensible'. She argued that the payment fails to reflect the extent of Folbigg's suffering, including the loss of her children, 20 years of her life, and ongoing trauma. Rego called for an inquiry into how the figure was determined.
Greens MP Sue Higginson, who advocated for Folbigg's release, said the compensation 'barely covers what Kathleen could have earned on a full-time salary over 20 years'. She suggested a more appropriate figure would be ten times the amount, calling the offer 'an absolute slap in the face'. Higginson urged Premier Chris Minns to meet Folbigg and address the issue, but Minns declined, stating it was not a difficult call for him.
Folbigg was convicted in 2003 for the deaths of her four children, but an independent inquiry in 2023 heard new scientific evidence suggesting natural causes or a genetic mutation. Her convictions were overturned by the appeals court that year. Legal experts had previously predicted she would receive the largest compensation payout in Australian history due to the severity of the wrongful conviction.
