Child Abuse Survivors Raise $90,000 to See George Pell Give Evidence in Rome
By Melissa Davey
Child sexual abuse survivors and their supporters have raised more than $90,000 to send a small group of their representatives to Rome to witness Cardinal George Pell, Australia’s most senior Catholic, give evidence before a child sexual abuse royal commission. After lawyers for Pell tendered medical documents to the royal commission into institutional responses into child sexual abuse this month, the commission chair, Justice McClellan, agreed to allow Pell to give evidence via video link from Rome rather than in person. It prompted the radio personality Meshel Laurie and the television presenter Gorgi Coghlan to launch a gofundme campaign to send survivors and a support network of psychologists and counsellors to Rome, where Pell is the Vatican’s financial head. The target of $55,000 was far exceeded in just one day, with the campaign also supported by Loud Fence, a group for survivors of child sexual abuse in Ballarat religious institutions who are putting together a group of people ready to fly. One anonymous person donated $10,000 to the cause, while other supporters have donated whatever they could afford, even if only a few dollars. “After caring for victims of child abuse over the years I have seen the immense damage it has had on their lives,” one donator, Noelene Plummer, wrote. “I hope they can find some healing.” Another, Marianne Cochrane, wrote, “For those who didn’t survive. For those who can’t speak. For those with the strength to represent.” Some said they were inspired to donate after hearing the comedian Tim Minchin perform a song on Network Ten’s The Project on Tuesday night in which he criticised Pell for not coming to Australia to give evidence and called him a “coward” and a “pompous buffoon”. The commission is still searching for a venue for Pell to give evidence in. When Pell last appeared before the commission via video link in August 2014 to face questions about the Melbourne Response, a scheme he introduced to the Catholic archdiocese of Melbourne in 1996 to investigate sex abuse claims, his evidence was plagued by technical problems. For this reason, alternative venues are being sought out. The commission told Guardian Australia it was still trying to find an appropriate location. But the commission cannot compel Pell to attend the venue it decides on. Pell would still have to agree to it and to attend. Pell told the commission in May he would be willing to give evidence. But his health issues, including hypertension, have preventing him from flying to Australia to fulfil this commitment, according to the medical documents tendered to the commission. Last year the commission heard evidence from a child sex abuse survivor who alleged that Pell had attempted to bribe him to keep quiet about the molestation he suffered. Pell has denied the allegations. When he appears via video link on 29 February, Pell will face questions about this as well as his alleged role in moving paedophile priests between parishes during his time working as an assistant priest in Ballarat East between 1973 and 1983, a period during which several Catholic priests sexually assaulted young boys in the area. Pell has said he was unaware at the time that the priests he transferred to other parishes were paedophiles. He will also be further questioned about the Melbourne Response. The department of foreign affairs and trade confirmed to Guardian Australia it was involved with the search for a venue. “At the request of the royal commission to the department, the Australian embassy in Rome is assisting the royal commission to identify a suitable venue for the taking of evidence by video-conference,” the department said in a statement. The embassy itself would not be a possible venue, Guardian Australia understands, because it does not have the necessary facilities.
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