Churches and charities have had plenty of time to get their act together and join the national redress scheme for child sexual abuse survivors, a federal government MP says.
Sarah Henderson is disappointed that as Victoria and NSW sign onto the commonwealth scheme, churches and non-government organisations are lagging behind.
The two states signed onto the $3.8 billion redress scheme on Friday in a move Social Services Minister Dan Tehan says will pave the way for churches and charities to sign on.
But Ms Henderson urged them to get on board sooner rather than later.
"Frankly, the churches and non-government institutions, people like the Salvos - they've had a very long time to get their act together," she told ABC on Saturday.
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Labor MP Emma Husar said she didn't know why the scheme was still being argued about.
Queensland and Western Australia have said they cannot act until the federal government provides crucial information about the scheme, which begins on July 1.
A Queensland government spokesman said significant progress has been made during negotiations on a national scheme, but a range of outstanding issues have yet to be agreed across jurisdictions.
"Without final details on these matters, the Queensland government cannot be assured that the scheme will provide equal access and equal treatment to survivors to the greatest extent possible, as the royal commission envisaged," he said.
The issues included eligibility criteria, the delivery of counselling services, protecting the rights and needs of child applicants and how to ensure key aspects cannot be changed without the agreement of participating states and territories.
South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill acknowledged issues remained but was confident an agreement would be reached, having now backed the national scheme in-principle.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews admitted the scheme had some shortcomings.
"We acknowledge that the scheme does not contain every element that every survivor of abuse may wish to see in it, however this is a ground-breaking agreement which will benefit thousands of people," he said.
Despite widespread criticism, the $150,000 maximum compensation payment will not be increased to the $200,000 cap recommended by the child abuse royal commission.
Sex offenders or anyone jailed for five years or more for serious crimes also remain blocked from redress under the scheme, along with survivors who are not citizens or permanent residents.
