**Inadequate Payout for Wrongfully Imprisoned Mother Sparks Controversy**

**Kathleen Folbigg, once labeled as "Australia's worst mother," has received a controversial compensation offer for her wrongful conviction, igniting debate over its fairness and adequacy.**

Kathleen Folbigg's case has come to symbolize one of the most significant miscarriages of justice in Australia. After spending 20 years in prison for the deaths of her four children, Folbigg has now been offered A$2 million ($1.3 million) in compensation, a sum her legal team describes as "profoundly unfair and unjust."

Originally convicted in 2003 for the deaths of her infants Caleb, Patrick, Sarah, and Laura, Folbigg's conviction was overturned in 2023 after scientific evidence suggested her children may have succumbed to a genetic disorder rather than foul play. The case has garnered attention not just for Folbigg's wrongful conviction, but also for the societal perceptions surrounding her previous labels as a mother.

Legal experts had anticipated that Folbigg could receive one of the highest compensation payouts in Australian history, potentially exceeding A$10 million. However, attorney Rhanee Rego expressed the dissatisfaction felt after the government's proposal, calling it a "moral affront" to her client whose suffering over two decades cannot be adequately represented by such a figure.

New South Wales Attorney General Michael Daley defended the government’s offer, stating it stemmed from careful considerations of Folbigg's application. However, he also noted that the details surrounding the decision would remain private at her request.

Rego highlighted the disparity between Folbigg's situation and past cases, referencing Lindy Chamberlain who was awarded A$1.7 million for three years in prison after a wrongful conviction. Folbigg’s experience and suffering, having been shuttered away for two decades, only exacerbated the perceived injustice of the current compensation offer.

Forensic criminologist Xanthe Mallett indicated that many would not be surprised if the compensation were to exceed A$10 million, with some reports even suggesting it could reach up to A$20 million. Meanwhile, Professor Gary Edmond from the University of New South Wales noted that the payout issued to Folbigg would need to set a precedent given the historical context of her wrongful conviction.

As the legal and moral implications unfold, Folbigg's story continues to resonate, raising questions about justice, gender biases, and the flaws within the judicial system that led to such a severe miscarriage of justice.