Stage 3 : February 2016

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
February 22, 2016

http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/case-study/860eabc6-e0fc-453a-b9d4-51a89852fede/case-study-28,-february-2016,-ballarat

The Royal Commission will hold the third part of the public hearing regarding the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat commencing on 22 February 2016 at the Ballarat Magistrates Court.

[Read Witness List]

[Read Opening Address]

[Read Statement by the Chair regarding arrangements for Cardinal Pell's evidence]

Cardinal George Pell will give evidence from 29 February 2016 by video link from Rome concerning Case Study 28: Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat and Case Study 35: Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. The Royal Commission will sit in Sydney and, in accordance with a request from Cardinal Pell, the hearing will commence at 08:00am AEDT.

[Attending the Hearing: Information for the public]

Directions Hearing: 5 and 8 February 2016

The Royal Commission held a directions hearing in Sydney on Friday 5 and Monday 8 February 2016.

The purpose of the directions hearing was to consider Cardinal George Pell’s capacity to attend the third part of the public hearing into Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat.

This was immediately followed by a directions hearing to consider Bishop Ronald Mulkearns’ capacity to attend the third part of the public hearing into Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat.

[Read Reasons for Decision with respect to Cardinal George Pell]

[Read Reasons for Decisions with respect to Bishop Ronald Mulkearns]

Stage 2: December 2015

The second stage of this public hearing was held at the County Court of Victoria from Monday 7 to Wednesday 16 December 2015.

[Read Witness list for December Hearing]

[Read Opening Address December]

Stage 1: May 2015

The first part of this public hearing was held at Ballarat Magistrates Court from Tuesday 19 to Friday 29 May 2015.

[Read Witness List for May Hearing]

[Read Opening Address]

[Read Justice McClellan's Opening remarks]

The scope and purpose of the public hearing is to inquire into:

The response of the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat and other Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat to allegations of child sexual abuse against clergy or religious.

The response of the Congregation of the Christian Brothers in St Patrick’s Province, Australia, to allegations of child sexual abuse against Christian Brothers.

Any related matters.