Catholic Church Considers Abuse Overhaul

Sky News
October 3, 2013

http://www.skynews.com.au/national/article.aspx?id=911697

Australia's Catholic church will consider an overhaul of how it handles clerical sexual abuse claims with plans to appoint independent experts and move away from the pastoral management of victim reparation and child protection standards.

In a recommendation endorsed by church leaders and due to be submitted to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, the church's advisory body - the Truth, Justice and Healing Council - has suggested the church should hand over responsibility for determining and distributing who is eligible for compensation and how it should be paid.

'We think that it is time now to look at a distinct separation of the pastoral responsibility and response of a church and its responsibility and contribution to compensation,' Council CEO Francis Sullivan told ABC Radio on Thursday.

'This is a new direction based on accountability, transparency and independent oversight.'

Under the changes independent commissioners would determine compensation payments to victims and direct the church's future approach to professional standards linked to child protection, with a newly-formed national board monitoring and auditing progress and providing public reporting.

'These proposals recognise that we must do better when we are dealing with victims of sexual abuse and as we work to make sure our institutions are as safe as possible for children,' Mr Sullivan said.

The advisory body supports a national compensation scheme funded by relevant institutions but Mr Sullivan conceded such a shift would require a recommendation from the commission.

'The church is going ahead with developing its own reform proposals which could be put in place as soon as late next year and could work alongside any future national scheme,' Mr Sullivan said.