IBAC to investigate Pell allegations leak

news.com.au
February 23, 2016

http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/ibac-to-investigate-pell-allegations-leak/news-story/2d94c12927e430ae052dc818316d8bb7

Victoria's corruption watchdog is the right body to investigate into how details of allegations against Cardinal George Pell became public, the state's attorney-general says.

Victoria Police's Taskforce Sano has spent a year investigating allegations Cardinal Pell sexually abused five to 10 victims while he was a priest in Victoria, the Herald Sun reported on Saturday.

The Catholic Church has described the allegations as being "without foundation and utterly false".

It believes they were leaked at a time "clearly designed to do maximum damage to the Cardinal and the Catholic Church".

Cardinal Pell is due to give videolink evidence from Rome to the child sex abuse royal commission in Sydney about unrelated matters.

Following the Herald Sun report, Cardinal Pell wrote to acting Police Minister Robin Scott requesting an investigation into how the details became public.

Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton referred the matter to the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission.

"Under the act that's the appropriate place for that matter to be dealt with," Attorney-General Martin Pakula told reporters on Tuesday.

Mr Pakula was asked if Cardinal Pell appeared to be getting different treatment compared to others who've made similar complaints about alleged police leaks to the media.

"I don't believe for a moment that he is treated differently," he told reporters.