Ambassador: No Instructions to Raise Royal Commission with the Pope...

Mornings with Jon Faine
November 26, 2012

blogs.abc.net.au/victoria/2012/11/ambassador-no-instructions-to-raise-royal-commission-with-the-pope-union-says-ir-corruption-crackdow.html


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Ambassador: No instructions to raise Royal Commission with the Pope; Union says IR corruption crackdown a ploy; Commuters unhappy as platforms left empty

Monday morning, and host Jon Faine speaks to Australia's new Ambassador to the Holy See, John McCarthy QC. His Excellency says he has not been asked to raise the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse with the Pope, but he would respond to any questions during his next audience with the Holy Father.

He says the commission's terms of reference have not been settled, and he wouldn't be expected to speculate to the Holy See.

"I certainly have not been instructed by the Australian Government, or indeed, anyone on behalf of the Government, to take these matters, which are of specific reference at the moment to Australia to any of the organs of the Holy See or the Holy Father," he says.

Also this morning, Paul Howes is national secretary of the Australian Workers Union. He says while there are clear examples of corruption problems in specific unions, he says all unions are current laws put in place by John Howard's government. He dismisses plans by Tony Abbott's Opposition to crack down on corruption in industrial relations, saying it's a ploy to target the Prime Minister and her links to the AWU scandal.

And, we've sent our intrepid reporter Richelle Hunt to Southern Cross Station, after news of secret unused platforms! Metro Trains and the Victorian Government are reportedly clashing over how spare platforms at the station should used to ease western suburbs commuter crush - and Richelle finds squashed commuters aren't happy that extra capacity isn't being utilised.