Injustice for Kathleen Folbigg: Compensation Criticized as "Inadequate"

Tue Oct 21 2025 04:23:47 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Kathleen Folbigg, wrongfully imprisoned for 20 years, faces criticism over a proposed A$2 million compensation offer after a landmark inquiry cleared her name.

Despite being cleared of tragic accusations regarding her children's deaths, Kathleen Folbigg's compensation offer of A$2 million is deemed insufficient by legal experts, with calls for a payout closer to A$10 million. Folbigg's story highlights systemic failures and raises questions about justice and fairness in wrongful conviction cases.

Kathleen Folbigg, once labeled "Australia's worst mother," has become a symbol of one of the nation's most significant miscarriages of justice. After spending 20 years in prison for the deaths of her four children, she has been offered just A$2 million (approximately £975,580 or $1.3 million) as compensation, which her lawyer insists is "morally affronting" and "profoundly unfair."

In 2003, Folbigg was convicted of smothering her children, who died between 1989 and 1999 due to alleged genetic conditions, revealed in a 2023 inquiry that led to her release. Legal experts had anticipated she might receive as much as A$10 million, considering the extensive suffering endured during her wrongful imprisonment.

New South Wales Attorney General Michael Daley defended the offer, stating it was made after thorough consideration of Folbigg's case. However, her lawyer, Rhanee Rego, argues that it fails to reflect the magnitude of her ordeal. The compensation debate echoes previous wrongful conviction cases, comparing Folbigg's situation to that of Lindy Chamberlain, who was awarded $1.7 million for her wrongful three-year incarceration in the 1990s.

Experts reiterate that Folbigg's case could potentially warrant compensation upwards of A$20 million, emphasizing the urgent need for a fair resolution to restore justice.