Royal Commission to Hold Newcastle Hearings behind Closed Doors

ABC News
February 9, 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-10/royal-commission-to-hold-newcastle-hearings-behind-closed-doors/6081832

Hunter region survivors of childhood sexual abuse will give evidence to the Royal Commission during four days of private hearings in Newcastle later this month.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is investigating how organisations, such as churches, have dealt with allegations of abuse.

32 people will have the opportunity to tell a commissioner of their experiences, with the hearings to be held from February 24 to 27.

The commission CEO Philip Reed says it is critical the evidence is given in private, as it allows commissioners to hear first-hand "the tactics perpetrators used and how institutions responded, or failed to respond".

Mr Reed says the Newcastle sessions will be held in a confidential and safe environment, with commission staff ready to provide counselling.

Nearly 3,000 private sessions have already been held across the country, with the Royal Commission set to hold more in eight regional centres during 2015.

Bob O'Toole was abused by a Hunter Valley priest, and said some people do not want to speak at the commission's public hearings.

"My understanding of the 32 appointments that have been provided is that the commission has been actually swamped by people wanting to take up that opportunity," he said.

"Quite a number of Newcastle people, of course, have already spoken with the commissioners in private sessions - they've travelled to Sydney to do that."

Mr O'Toole anticipates there will not be a public Royal Commission case study in Newcastle until the findings of the 2013 Special Commission are finalised.

That inquiry investigated how New South Wales Police and the Catholic Church handled allegations against two Hunter Valley peadophile priests, Denis McAlinden and James Fletcher.

Mr O'Toole said there is a strong chance there will be a Newcastle case study, but it will not be for some time.

"It's probably a little premature because there are some issues still afoot which, as yet, are unresolved," he said.

"That's the Special Commission of Inquiry's volume four of the findings which, I understand, remain in the hands of the DPP."