Court closes files to public on bishop’s alleged cover-up

By Katherine Towers, Tessa Akerman
Australian
November 18, 2015

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/court-closes-files-to-public-on-bishops-alleged-cover-up/story-fngburq5-1227612952857?sv=239177e4f9ea5311dc7981ca040ceea8

The Victorian Supreme Court is refusing to release files detailing a string of legal claims against former bishop of Ballarat Ronald Mulkearns over his alleged role in covering up the extensive sexual abuse of children by pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale.

Sixteen of Ridsdale’s victims have launched Supreme Court action against Bishop Mulkearns, who was told of Ridsdale’s sexual abuse of children while in charge of the western Victorian diocese and who oversaw the movement of the priest from parish to parish, including interstate.

The Victorian Supreme Court yesterday ordered the files against Bishop Mulkearns be closed to the public after The Australian applied to view several of them. Senior deputy prothonotary Domenic Conidi issued the order, saying the court took the view that the material in the files was “sensitive” and should not be released to the public.

Vivienne Waller, the lawyer for the 16 victims, said the files did not detail allegations against Bishop Mulkearns and instead contained just a “short paragraph” indicating the existence of the claim.