What You Need to Know about the Royal Commission into Child Sex Abuse
Herald Sun
WE look at who is who in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, and what part they will play. Announced in November 2012, the royal commission will only focus on child sex abuse in institutional contexts. Prime Minister Julia Gillard today declared the royal commission's terms of reference, as well as the names of those trusted to head up the important report. We take a look at who is who inside the royal commission: Justice Peter McClellan AM - Chair Commissioner
Mr McClellan recently stepped down from his position as Chief Judge at Common Law of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, a title he has had since 2005. Appointed a QC in 1985 he has held many judicial positions including Judge of the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales, Chairman of the Sydney Water Inquiry and Assistant Commissioner at the Independent Commission Against Corruption. Professor Helen Milroy - Commissioner
A descendant of the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia, Ms Milroy is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Winthrop Professor and Director for the Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health at the University of Western Australia. Andrew Murray - Commissioner
Rhodes Scholar, former businessman and former Senator for the Democrat party. He is Patron of the Care Leavers Association of Australia and the Alliance for Forgotten Australians. Justice Jennifer Coate - Commissioner
Judge of the Family Court of Australia, Ms Coate has been Judge of the County Court of Victoria, State Coroner of Victoria, the inaugural President of the Children's Court of Victoria and Senior Magistrate and Magistrate of the Magistrate’s Court of Victoria. Bob Atkinson - Commissioner
Finishing a 44-year career in the police force, the former Commissioner of the Queensland Police retired in October last year. He served as police prosecutor and has overseen extensive reforms within the Queensland police following various inquiries and reviews. Robert Fitzgerald - Commissioner
Robert Fitzgerald AM, has been a Commissioner in the Productivity Commission since 2004. He has also served as Community and Disability Services Commissioner and Deputy Ombudsman in New South Wales. He has experience in commerce, law, public policy and community services. The six commissioners will examine past and current child sexual abuse in organisations. They will look at: How organisations have managed and responded to claims of sexual abuse and other associated forms of abuse and neglect Whether the response was enough What can be done better protect children under their care What should be done to identify child sexual abuse and encourage people to report it How organisations should respond when they find out information that suggests that sexual abuse of children under their responsibility Barriers and failures to reporting, investigating and dealing with cases of child sexual abuse in organisations How these barriers can be removed How to support survivors How to ensure victims receive justice Commissioners can look at any public or private organisation that is or has been involved with children. The commission will hear from people affected by child sexual abuse. They will also look at archives, records and documents, submissions from public, non-government and private organisations, and laws, policies and practices of institutions, organisations and governments. The inquiry will start as soon as possible with an interim report due by June 30, 2014. The Royal Commission is set to end in 2015 but this could be extended if necessary.
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