Catholic Education Boss Admits Failures in Protecting Children from Paedophile Teacher

ABC News
February 21, 2014

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-21/catholic-education-boss-admits-failures-in/5276602?section=qld

[with audio]

A Catholic Education boss has told the child abuse Royal Commission that the wholesale systemic failure of child protection policies led to students being exposed to a paedophile teacher. John Borserio says those policies have been improved but without advice from experts outside the Catholic system.

Transcript

MARK COLVIN: A Catholic Education boss has admitted that a wholesale systemic failure of child protection policies led to young girls being taught by a paedophile teacher.

John Borserio was the director of the Toowoomba Catholic Education Office when Gerard Byrnes sexually abused 13 girls in 2007 and 2008. Mr Borserio still holds that position.

He's told the child abuse Royal Commission that he takes responsibility for failing to protect the students. He insists policies have since improved but without advice from experts outside the Catholic system.

Stephanie Smail reports.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: John Borserio had been the director of the Toowoomba Catholic Education Office for five years when Gerard Byrnes was arrested.

Today the Royal Commission heard the child protection policies Mr Borserio presided over failed in 2007 and 2008.

He acknowledged a complaint about Byrnes touching a student in 2007 wasn't adequately investigated and other students were exposed to harm as a result.

This is his response to questioning by senior counsel assisting the commission Gail Furness.

GAIL FURNESS: There was a wholesale systemic failure within that school, which included a failure in respective training. Do you accept that?

JOHN BORSERIO: Given that sad chapter in the school's life I can only accept that.

GAIL FURNESS: And accordingly you would agree with me that the third dot point - that is 'provide a prompt and supportive response to an allegation of harm of any kind' - did not happen in respect of the allegations made against Byrnes in 2007?

JOHN BORSERIO: That did not happen.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: Byrnes was eventually convicted and sentenced to 10 years jail after pleading guilty to 44 sex abuse charges.

Today the commission continued its investigation into the Toowoomba Catholic Education Office's child protection policies. They were overhauled in 2009.

And while Mr Borserio explained he sought legal advice about the contents of the new regulations, he told Gail Furness the church didn't draw on expert advice from outside the Catholic System.

GAIL FURNESS: Is that a document that has been informed by the advice of anyone outside the Catholic Church's broad umbrella?

JOHN BORSERIO: No. We improve our practises by reviewing what we do. We try to improve what we do all of the time.

GAIL FURNESS: How do you do that without actually having advice from those who can tell you what the evidence shows that works and doesn't work.

JOHN BORSERIO: Whilst it may not be totally external, the student protection officer we currently have does not come from an educational background, does not come from a Catholic background.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: The Commission has also been examining the way child abuse claims were tested.

The former Toowoomba primary school principal, Terry Hayes, and other staff have said they didn't think they could approach a student for information about allegations.

John Borserio says teachers in the Catholic system can now ask sensitive and careful questions of students if there is cause for concern.

But, when pressed by Gail Furness, Mr Borserio admitted that change wasn't prompted by external expert advice either.

GAIL FURNESS: You have sought to develop your processes bearing in mind what happened in 2007 without having regard to an expert with that learning?

JOHN BORSERIO: Without an individual expert. But we would have based the work that we're doing on data or information from other sources.

GAIL FURNESS: You're telling me there's been research done internally?

JOHN BORSERIO: I would expect so, yes.

GAIL FURNESS: You know that to be the case or you speculating that it might be the case?

JOHN BORSERIO: I believe it's the case.

GAIL FURNESS: What's the basis of that belief?

JOHN BORSERIO: The basis of that belief is that we've improved our practises.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: The commission has heard the former school principal Terry Hayes and senior education officers Christopher Fry and Ian Hunter all failed in their duty to report child abuse claims to police.

Mr Borserio said that was a huge error of judgement from three experienced people, and there's no going back on that.

But he told senior counsel for the Toowoomba Diocese, Jane Needham, the buck stopped with him.

JANE NEEDHAM: As director of the Catholic Education Office both in 2007 and 2008, you accept you had ultimate responsibility, as it were, for the actions of those persons working in that system, is that correct?

JOHN BORSERIO: That's correct.

JANE NEEDHAM: And do you accept responsibility as the director of the CEO for the failures of the system in relation to these children in 2007 and 2008?

JOHN BORSERIO: Yes I do.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: The child abuse Royal Commission's hearings in Brisbane were due to wrap up this week, but will now continue on Monday.

MARK COLVIN: Stephanie Smail.