Restitution

When Perlita Golding moved to Australia from the Philippines, the single mother began working at a Brisbane laundromat. She had limited English and needed enough shifts to support her family. Her boss, Ian Sippel, took advantage of Perlita's vulnerable position. But when Perlita took her case to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, she discovered victims of sexual harassment in the sunshine state receive minimal compensa...

A cheaper alternative to marble and granite, engineered stone is an increasingly popular choice for Australians looking to renovate their kitchens and bathrooms. Once it's installed, it poses no risk to your health. But the workers who manufacture the stuff on the factory floor are getting sick. Silicosis, a deadly dust disease, is cutting short the lives of stonemasons. In this episode: workers and lawyers unite to demand change f...

In June 1990, Caitlyn was studying at the University of New England in Armidale, New South Wales. One night, as Caitlyn was asleep, a man entered her room in St Alberts college and raped her. It turns out Caitlyn wasn't the first female student to be sexually assaulted by the man. So why wasn't anything done to prevent this from happening? In this episode, a survivor of sexual assault make a stand. 

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Joanna Davies was five years old when she learned she was adopted. What she didn’t know was that her birth mother, Lorraine, wanted to keep her. She had signed the paperwork under duress. Lorraine was one of thousands of young, unmarried women whose babies were taken from them without their consent between the 1950s and 1980s. State-sanctioned forced adoptions tore families apart. Some parents and children have been able to reconne...

When Chrys Barker suffered brain injuries in a car crash, his parents were told he would never recover. The insurer for the at-fault driver wanted Chrys, who was in his twenties, to be placed into an aged care home for the rest of his life. But his father, Allan, disagreed. He could see a fire in Chrys's eyes. He believed his son was saying "get me out of here". Chrys later stunned his medical team by answering a question with a th...

Maria Allport was in a warehouse, packing stock for Aldi supermarkets when she hurt her back. Nothing some painkillers and rest won't fix, she thought. But as it turns out, Maria had sustained serious spinal injuries. She didn't know it at the time, but her life was about to unravel. 

In the first episode of season two, Restitution focuses on the number one cause of workplace injuries in Australia. It's an issue that rarely ...

When you find yourself injured through no fault of your own. When someone takes something from you without your consent. When your quality of life is diminished and nobody is taking responsibility. Where do you draw the line? 

Restitution is a show about people who’ve been wronged and the lawyers trying to make it right. After a short break, we’re back with more stories of everyday Australians making a stand. 

Restitution i...

We don’t like to think about where our meat comes from. And with good reason: abattoirs are gruesome places. But for Paul Draper, mincing meat on the factory floor of KR Darling Downs wasn’t just unpleasant, it was unsafe. In this episode, you’ll hear the story of how a violent workplace accident forced a reluctant litigant to take on one of the biggest employers in Toowoomba, Queensland. 

Restitution is pro...

Remember the McMatch & Win promotion at Maccas? In 1998, the fast-food giant gave Aussies the chance to win prizes like cars, trips to Disneyland and computers by collecting stamps attached to food packaging. In the first year, the promotion went off without a hitch. But in 1999, a big problem emerged. Thousands of customers came forward to claim more prizes than were available. When Maccas refused to honour its promise, things...

In late 2000, a junior solicitor named Jodie Willey was looking forward to a holiday when her boss asked her to remove several dusty boxes from his office. Curious, Jodie peeked inside and came across a case file marked Lyndal. She immediately cancelled her leave. In this episode, you’ll hear the remarkable story of a young woman from a country town who dared to demand justice from the Anglican Church.

Restitution is...

Giving birth to three babies took a toll on Amanda Liddell’s body. When her gynaecologist suggested a “miracle” cure, she jumped at the chance. But after receiving a pelvic mesh implant manufactured and distributed by Ethicon and Johnson & Johnson, Amanda woke up from surgery in excruciating pain. She didn’t realise it then, but she wasn’t the only one. In this episode, you’ll hear the story ...

Nobody wants to go to court, but sometimes ordinary people are forced into extraordinary circumstances. When you’re injured at work and your boss says it’s your fault. When you’re in agonising pain and nobody believes you. When someone you trust takes advantage of you at a vulnerable age. It’s time to take a stand. Faced with injustice, the people you'll meet in this podcast refused to be silenced. These are...