Abuse Inquiry Terms of Reference Delayed

By Lauren Wilson
The Australian
December 21, 2012

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/abuse-inquiry-terms-of-reference-delayed/story-fn59niix-1226541819466

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon has had to delay release of the terms of reference into the inquiry into institutional child abuse. Picture: Kym Smith Source: The Daily Telegraph

THE terms of reference for Labor's royal commission into child sexual abuse are now unlikely to be finalised until early next year, Attorney-General Nicola Roxon has conceded.

Julia Gillard had wanted the inquiry into how child sex abuse allegations have been handled by religious, community and state institutions established by the end of this year, so it could begin work in early 2013.

However discussions with the states and territories are understood to have delayed finalisation of the commission's terms of reference.

“I think it's more likely that in the very early New Year, we'll be in a position to announce the final terms of reference and the commissioners,” Ms Roxon said today.

She said the government had so far received 800 different proposals about how the royal commission should operate, and a final draft of the terms of reference had been provided to the states and territories.

The government will appoint between three and five commissioners to the inquiry and the royal commission will be expected to issue its initial report, including recommendations, within 18 months.

Ms Roxon said a shortlist of commissioners has been compiled and the government was in the process of “making sure there are no problems with any of the people who we have identified”.

“I think for this very sensitive sort of inquiry, taking the time to do all of that due diligence properly is important, and I expect that we will be able to give an update shortly so that people are aware that those terms of reference and the commissioners will be announced in the New Year,” she said.

“I think that the inquiries that have been conducted in other states have been informative for us, we have learnt a fair bit through that process,” Ms Roxon added.

“It's meant that all of the states and territories have quite strong views about what they do and don't want covered, but ultimately our government is determined to have a full national inquiry into the institutional settings where child sexual abuse has been able to occur,” she said.

The government has received 600 comments and 200 formal submissions about the inquiry from groups and individuals across the country.

The feedback has stressed the importance of having appropriate processes so victims feel supported, and where necessary, able to report allegations of abuse to authorities.