Kathleen Folbigg's best friend Tracy Chapman takes aim at $2 million offer for wrongful conviction of child murder
Folbigg, now 58, was jailed over the deaths of her four children before being freed in June 2023 after new scientific evidence cast reasonable doubt over her convictions.
NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley said he decided to make an ex-gratia payment to Folbigg, more than a year after a compensation claim was submitted to the government.
Tracy Chapman, Folbigg's live-in best friend, was joined by Folbigg's lawyer Rhanee Rego on Sunrise on Friday, where they were questioned on the financial offer.
'I was as shocked as everyone else. It was absolutely disgraceful,' Chapman told hosts Nat Barr and Matt Shirvington.
'We talk about what is fair and what is humane all the time. Unfortunately, you come back to the same answers.
'This is not fair. It's inhumane. (But) Sadly, not surprising.
'Remembering, Kath has been exonerated. This is a wrongful conviction. She has the ongoing pain and suffering. The trauma. We've all had to live with that every day.
'It's not like that can be put in a suitcase and put under the bed. This is going to be with her during the rest of her days.'
Chapman went on to explain Folbigg also has functional needs.
Chapman said: 'Life is very expensive. Even having her here for seven months. It was so hard and so expensive. You have to be realistic. Then we have ageism in the workforce. So, realistically, what is Kath going to do?
'She can't just go and get a job. The average age of retirement is 56. It's just an insult.'
Folbigg's lawyer Rhanee Rego said she was not shocked, with Folbigg being treated poorly by the system since 1999.
'The Nationals and the Greens have called for a parliamentary inquiry into the decision of the NSW Attorney General. We fully support that, to understand how they came to this figure,' Rego said.
Folbigg joins Lindy Chamberlain a small number of Australians who have been jailed but later acquitted and offered compensation.
Chamberlain and her former husband Michael were awarded an ex gratia payment of $1.3 million in 1992 for their prosecution in the Northern Territory over the death of baby daughter Azaria.
West Australian man Scott Austic in May received $1.3 million on top of an earlier payment of $250,000 after serving nearly 13 years for murdering his pregnant secret lover. He had sought $8.5 million after being acquitted in 2020 on appeal.
Both payments were ex gratia, unlike David Eastman who was awarded $7 million in damages by the ACT Supreme Court in 2019.
'I still don't want to put a figure on it,' Rego said.
'I am also like everyone else. How do you put a figure on a woman's life?
'The ex gratia payment system is there for victims. We now know what the government thinks 20 years of a woman's life, wrongfully imprisoned, is worth. And that's $2 million.
'Which is worrying not just for Kath, but for everyone else out there.'
Chapman said the system has never taken responsibility for what was wrongfully done to Folbigg.
'There's still not apology,' she said.
'I am disgusted. Actually, I am beyond disgusted. We live in a democracy. These people are supposed to talk to us. There's never been any communication that is decent.
'We're writing a book at the moment. The whole reason for that is to lay bare everything that has happened to us. It's disgraceful.
'I wouldn't treat people like this.'
Greens MP Sue Higginson described the offer as 'an absolute slap in the face'.
'And a failure of the NSW premier to uphold the principles of fairness and justice,' Higginson said.
'Kathleen Folbigg was imprisoned for 20 years, accused wrongly of the murder of her own children.
'She has suffered. She has now been released. She is owed compensation that rights the wrong of this state.'
Nationals MP Wes Fang said the offer was made the same day upper house members pushed for an inquiry into the payment.
Unlike court-run compensation claims with a series of precedents, ex gratia payments are one-off matters and are expected to be a decision of state cabinet.
Folbigg was convicted of three counts of murder and one count of manslaughter following the deaths of her children between 1989 and 1999.
She appealed successfully against her convictions after scientific discoveries in genetics and cardiology cast doubt on her guilt following two inquiries into her verdicts.
In 2024, Rego told AAP the compensation claim included a lengthy statement explaining her 24-year experience with the matter, submissions detailing errors by agents of government and an expert report assessing loss suffered by the former prisoner.
Folbigg had previously sought a meeting with Premier Chris Minns, but he refused on the grounds she was in the middle of negotiations with the attorney general.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
7NEWS
7 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Dad who lost three kids to drunk driver sits down with their killer in jail
A father who lost his three children. And the man who killed them. Samuel Davidson was three times over the legal alcohol limit, drug-affected and out of control when the ute he was driving mounted a footpath and mowed down seven children in the 2020 Oatlands tragedy that shocked the nation. Next Sunday at 8.40pm on Seven and 7plus, 7NEWS Spotlight goes inside one of Australia's toughest maximum-security prisons for an unforgettable meeting between two men. Abdallah siblings Antony (13), Angelina (12), and Sienna (8), along with their cousin Veronique Sakr (11), were all killed instantly. Three other children were injured. Davidson was sentenced on appeal to 20 years in prison, with a non-parole period of 15 years. At the time, many Australians couldn't comprehend how parents Danny and Leila Abdallah publicly forgave him. But now, in an extraordinary act, Danny Abdallah's forgiveness reaches even deeper. Five years on from the tragedy, 7NEWS Spotlight has been granted rare access inside one of the country's harshest prisons to capture the raw and emotional encounter between a grieving father and the man who destroyed his world. It is an extraordinary television interview that challenges everything we think we know about restorative justice, remorse and forgiveness. For the first time, Australians will also hear from Davidson about that horrific day, including new revelations about the reasons behind his actions and the devastating consequences that followed. 7NEWS Spotlight 's Michael Usher, who has followed the Abdallahs' story since the beginning, said: 'For the past eight months, 7NEWS Spotlight has worked closely with Corrective Services NSW, lawyers and psychologists to make this possible. 'We spent a week inside one of Australia's hardest prisons where TV cameras are rarely allowed to speak with a high-risk, high-security inmate serving one of the longest sentences for his crime. 'Danny's journey to forgiveness has been long, complicated, and deeply emotional. 'What I witnessed inside those walls is something I never expected to see, and certainly never thought we'd be able to share with the Australian public.' Where does justice end and mercy begin? And can forgiveness ever truly heal? Don't miss this powerful 7NEWS Spotlight special, airing next Sunday, 17 August at 8.40pm on Seven and 7plus.
7NEWS
2 days ago
- 7NEWS
Kathleen Folbigg review push as $2 million compensation for wrongful imprisonment ‘plucked out of the air'
A $2 million offer to a woman wrongfully imprisoned for two decades will face further scrutiny as decision-makers blame budget constraints for a figure critics say was 'plucked out of the air'. NSW Premier Chris Minns and Attorney-General Michael Daley have been urged to reconsider the ex gratia payment offered to Kathleen Folbigg. Folbigg was jailed in 2003 over the deaths of her four children before being freed in 2023 after new scientific evidence cast reasonable doubt over her convictions, which were later quashed. Minns said the $2 million was taxpayer funds and did not come from a 'magic pot'. 'This was the most amount of money that we believed we could allocate ... without pulling it away from other important programs,' Minns said. Compensation has been paid to others in the past after legal action and Minns said Folbigg was free to sue the government. Daley announced the payment on Thursday, more than a year after a compensation claim was submitted. After telling reporters the payment was offered to close down a push for a parliamentary inquiry, Nationals MP Wes Fang said the government was seeking to avoid scrutiny. 'It wasn't a coincidence,' he told AAP. He said the $2 million was a 'round figure' and the government had not revealed any information on how it was calculated. 'That raises concerns that there's been no evidentiary basis for that offer - it's just been plucked out of the air,' Fang said. He said the push for an inquiry was more important than ever. 'Mainstream everyday Australians have found the figure to be quite an affront,' Fang said. 'There's a growing call to understand how there's been the assessment done, and what assessments have been done.' Greens MP Sue Higginson said the issue went beyond Folbigg. 'It's very rare you get such a serious failing of the legal system and you get wrongful conviction and incarceration to this degree, but to suggest it will never happen again is just wrong,'' she said. 'It will, and we need a system of credibility with a bit of integrity about how we are going to address these injustices.' Higginson accepted the budget had constraints. 'But I know there's room in the budget right now to give Kathleen something more than $2 million, something more commensurate with the harm that the justice system has perpetrated,' she said. Higginson wrote to the premier and attorney-general on Friday, saying it remained 'immensely challenging' to understand how the figure was calculated and urging them to review it. 'I also implore you to meet with Folbigg and her team in negotiating an offer of ex gratia payment that reflects the extraordinary nature of this case,' she wrote. The premier and attorney-general are due before budget estimates later in August while calls for an inquiry into the payment could be furthered when parliament resumes in September.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
Folbigg review push as $2m 'plucked out of the air'
A $2 million offer to a woman wrongfully imprisoned for two decades will face further scrutiny as decision-makers blame budget constraints for a figure critics say was "plucked out of the air". NSW Premier Chris Minns and Attorney-General Michael Daley have been urged to reconsider the ex gratia payment offered to Kathleen Folbigg. Ms Folbigg was jailed in 2003 over the deaths of her four children before being freed in 2023 after new scientific evidence cast reasonable doubt over her convictions, which were later quashed. Mr Minns said the $2 million was taxpayer funds and did not come from a "magic pot". "This was the most amount of money that we believed we could allocate ... without pulling it away from other important programs," Mr Minns said. Compensation has been paid to others in the past after legal action and Mr Minns said Ms Folbigg was free to sue the government. Mr Daley announced the payment on Thursday, more than a year after a compensation claim was submitted. After telling reporters the payment was offered to close down a push for a parliamentary inquiry, Nationals MP Wes Fang said the government was seeking to avoid scrutiny. "It wasn't a coincidence," he told AAP. He said the $2 million was a "round figure" and the government had not revealed any information on how it was calculated. "That raises concerns that there's been no evidentiary basis for that offer - it's just been plucked out of the air," Mr Fang said. He said the push for an inquiry was more important than ever. "Mainstream everyday Australians have found the figure to be quite an affront," Mr Fang said. "There's a growing call to understand how there's been the assessment done, and what assessments have been done." Greens MP Sue Higginson said the issue went beyond Ms Folbigg. "It's very rare you get such a serious failing of the legal system and you get wrongful conviction and incarceration to this degree, but to suggest it will never happen again is just wrong,'' she said. "It will, and we need a system of credibility with a bit of integrity about how we are going to address these injustices." Ms Higginson accepted the budget had constraints. "But I know there's room in the budget right now to give Kathleen something more than $2 million, something more commensurate with the harm that the justice system has perpetrated," she said. Ms Higginson wrote to the premier and attorney-general on Friday, saying it remained "immensely challenging" to understand how the figure was calculated and urging them to review it. "I also implore you to meet with Ms Folbigg and her team in negotiating an offer of ex gratia payment that reflects the extraordinary nature of this case," she wrote. The premier and attorney-general are due before budget estimates later in August while calls for an inquiry into the payment could be furthered when parliament resumes in September. A $2 million offer to a woman wrongfully imprisoned for two decades will face further scrutiny as decision-makers blame budget constraints for a figure critics say was "plucked out of the air". NSW Premier Chris Minns and Attorney-General Michael Daley have been urged to reconsider the ex gratia payment offered to Kathleen Folbigg. Ms Folbigg was jailed in 2003 over the deaths of her four children before being freed in 2023 after new scientific evidence cast reasonable doubt over her convictions, which were later quashed. Mr Minns said the $2 million was taxpayer funds and did not come from a "magic pot". "This was the most amount of money that we believed we could allocate ... without pulling it away from other important programs," Mr Minns said. Compensation has been paid to others in the past after legal action and Mr Minns said Ms Folbigg was free to sue the government. Mr Daley announced the payment on Thursday, more than a year after a compensation claim was submitted. After telling reporters the payment was offered to close down a push for a parliamentary inquiry, Nationals MP Wes Fang said the government was seeking to avoid scrutiny. "It wasn't a coincidence," he told AAP. He said the $2 million was a "round figure" and the government had not revealed any information on how it was calculated. "That raises concerns that there's been no evidentiary basis for that offer - it's just been plucked out of the air," Mr Fang said. He said the push for an inquiry was more important than ever. "Mainstream everyday Australians have found the figure to be quite an affront," Mr Fang said. "There's a growing call to understand how there's been the assessment done, and what assessments have been done." Greens MP Sue Higginson said the issue went beyond Ms Folbigg. "It's very rare you get such a serious failing of the legal system and you get wrongful conviction and incarceration to this degree, but to suggest it will never happen again is just wrong,'' she said. "It will, and we need a system of credibility with a bit of integrity about how we are going to address these injustices." Ms Higginson accepted the budget had constraints. "But I know there's room in the budget right now to give Kathleen something more than $2 million, something more commensurate with the harm that the justice system has perpetrated," she said. Ms Higginson wrote to the premier and attorney-general on Friday, saying it remained "immensely challenging" to understand how the figure was calculated and urging them to review it. "I also implore you to meet with Ms Folbigg and her team in negotiating an offer of ex gratia payment that reflects the extraordinary nature of this case," she wrote. The premier and attorney-general are due before budget estimates later in August while calls for an inquiry into the payment could be furthered when parliament resumes in September. A $2 million offer to a woman wrongfully imprisoned for two decades will face further scrutiny as decision-makers blame budget constraints for a figure critics say was "plucked out of the air". NSW Premier Chris Minns and Attorney-General Michael Daley have been urged to reconsider the ex gratia payment offered to Kathleen Folbigg. Ms Folbigg was jailed in 2003 over the deaths of her four children before being freed in 2023 after new scientific evidence cast reasonable doubt over her convictions, which were later quashed. Mr Minns said the $2 million was taxpayer funds and did not come from a "magic pot". "This was the most amount of money that we believed we could allocate ... without pulling it away from other important programs," Mr Minns said. Compensation has been paid to others in the past after legal action and Mr Minns said Ms Folbigg was free to sue the government. Mr Daley announced the payment on Thursday, more than a year after a compensation claim was submitted. After telling reporters the payment was offered to close down a push for a parliamentary inquiry, Nationals MP Wes Fang said the government was seeking to avoid scrutiny. "It wasn't a coincidence," he told AAP. He said the $2 million was a "round figure" and the government had not revealed any information on how it was calculated. "That raises concerns that there's been no evidentiary basis for that offer - it's just been plucked out of the air," Mr Fang said. He said the push for an inquiry was more important than ever. "Mainstream everyday Australians have found the figure to be quite an affront," Mr Fang said. "There's a growing call to understand how there's been the assessment done, and what assessments have been done." Greens MP Sue Higginson said the issue went beyond Ms Folbigg. "It's very rare you get such a serious failing of the legal system and you get wrongful conviction and incarceration to this degree, but to suggest it will never happen again is just wrong,'' she said. "It will, and we need a system of credibility with a bit of integrity about how we are going to address these injustices." Ms Higginson accepted the budget had constraints. "But I know there's room in the budget right now to give Kathleen something more than $2 million, something more commensurate with the harm that the justice system has perpetrated," she said. Ms Higginson wrote to the premier and attorney-general on Friday, saying it remained "immensely challenging" to understand how the figure was calculated and urging them to review it. "I also implore you to meet with Ms Folbigg and her team in negotiating an offer of ex gratia payment that reflects the extraordinary nature of this case," she wrote. The premier and attorney-general are due before budget estimates later in August while calls for an inquiry into the payment could be furthered when parliament resumes in September. A $2 million offer to a woman wrongfully imprisoned for two decades will face further scrutiny as decision-makers blame budget constraints for a figure critics say was "plucked out of the air". NSW Premier Chris Minns and Attorney-General Michael Daley have been urged to reconsider the ex gratia payment offered to Kathleen Folbigg. Ms Folbigg was jailed in 2003 over the deaths of her four children before being freed in 2023 after new scientific evidence cast reasonable doubt over her convictions, which were later quashed. Mr Minns said the $2 million was taxpayer funds and did not come from a "magic pot". "This was the most amount of money that we believed we could allocate ... without pulling it away from other important programs," Mr Minns said. Compensation has been paid to others in the past after legal action and Mr Minns said Ms Folbigg was free to sue the government. Mr Daley announced the payment on Thursday, more than a year after a compensation claim was submitted. After telling reporters the payment was offered to close down a push for a parliamentary inquiry, Nationals MP Wes Fang said the government was seeking to avoid scrutiny. "It wasn't a coincidence," he told AAP. He said the $2 million was a "round figure" and the government had not revealed any information on how it was calculated. "That raises concerns that there's been no evidentiary basis for that offer - it's just been plucked out of the air," Mr Fang said. He said the push for an inquiry was more important than ever. "Mainstream everyday Australians have found the figure to be quite an affront," Mr Fang said. "There's a growing call to understand how there's been the assessment done, and what assessments have been done." Greens MP Sue Higginson said the issue went beyond Ms Folbigg. "It's very rare you get such a serious failing of the legal system and you get wrongful conviction and incarceration to this degree, but to suggest it will never happen again is just wrong,'' she said. "It will, and we need a system of credibility with a bit of integrity about how we are going to address these injustices." Ms Higginson accepted the budget had constraints. "But I know there's room in the budget right now to give Kathleen something more than $2 million, something more commensurate with the harm that the justice system has perpetrated," she said. Ms Higginson wrote to the premier and attorney-general on Friday, saying it remained "immensely challenging" to understand how the figure was calculated and urging them to review it. "I also implore you to meet with Ms Folbigg and her team in negotiating an offer of ex gratia payment that reflects the extraordinary nature of this case," she wrote. The premier and attorney-general are due before budget estimates later in August while calls for an inquiry into the payment could be furthered when parliament resumes in September.
