Police refer leak against Cardinal George Pell to anti-corruption commission

By Melissa Davey
Guardian
February 23, 2016

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/feb/23/police-refer-leak-against-cardinal-george-pell-to-anti-corruption-commission

Cardinal George Pell wrote to the Victorian police minister requesting an investigation into the source of the leaks but Victoria’s treasurer, Tim Pallas, says one is not necessary. Photo by Jane Dempster

Victoria police have referred the alleged leak of an investigation into Cardinal George Pell to the state’s anti-corruption commission.The police said they were concerned details had been made public about the investigation into allegations of historical child sexual abuse.The allegations, which Pell has vehemently denied and described as “outrageous”, were first reported on Friday night, allegedly as the result of police leaks to News Corp.

As a result, Victoria police said it had referred the matter to the Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission. The commission will now review the case to see if it requires an investigation.

When the abuse allegations came to light, Pell called for an investigation into Victoria police to identify the source of the leaks. He also wrote to the Victorian police minister requesting the investigation.

“The article published by the Herald Sun leads to the conclusion that this information must have come from Victoria police or another agency working with it,” Pell said in a statement on Monday.

However, Victoria’s treasurer, Tim Pallas, said he did not believe an investigation into the source of the leaks was necessary.

Pell is due to give evidence before the royal commission into institutional responses into child sexual abuse on Monday via videolink from a hotel in Rome.

He will be asked about how the archdiocese of Melbourne handled allegations of child sexual abuse within its institutions while he served as auxiliary bishop and how the diocese of Ballarat handled abuse allegations while he served as an assistant priest. Pell served at a time when a number of young boys were sexually abused while their abusers were moved from parish to parish, the commission has previously heard.

A group of survivors of child sexual abuse in Ballarat Catholic institutions will fly to Rome to watch Pell give his evidence.

Shine Lawyers, which represents survivors of abuse, said in a statement on Tuesday that Pell’s position as the chief financial adviser to the Vatican was untenable.

Just as the former Anglican archbishop of Brisbane Peter Hollingworth resigned as governor general over the mishandling of child sexual abuse allegations by the church, Pell should have to do the same, the statement said.

“We believe he should step down from his role until investigations have been concluded.”