VICTORIA — Two abuse survivors are seeking to transfer their claims against the Christian Brothers to Edmund Rice Education Australia in the Supreme Court of Victoria. The Trustees of Edmund Rice Education Australia do not consent to being made a defendant in the survivors' claims.

The first case seeking to transfer claims to Edmund Rice Education Australia, brought by two abuse survivors in Victoria, appeared in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Friday. During the proceedings, a Victorian judge stated that the case has "high court written all over it".

The Christian Brothers is facing hundreds of current and future abuse cases, with an estimated worth of $774 million. The organization informed a court last month that it was insolvent and unable to meet compensation claims. The Christian Brothers proposed a scheme to sell its remaining 36 properties, valued at approximately $217 million, and distribute the proceeds among creditors, including survivors.

Over the past decade, the Christian Brothers transferred land, school buildings, and homes to the Trustees of Edmund Rice Education Australia for nominal amounts of $1. Edmund Rice Education Australia was established in 2007 and operates former Christian Brothers schools. The entity maintains it is independent.

As of December 2024, Edmund Rice Education Australia reported net assets of $2.3 billion and $345 million in cash. The organization is opposing a push to have the court appoint it as a defendant. The matter will return to court next week, and a hearing considering the historical relationship between the Christian Brothers and Edmund Rice Education Australia is scheduled for early August.