Royal Commission Hears Bishop Handled Abuse Case by Telling Alleged Perpetrator

By Ian Kirkwood
Newcastle Herald
August 12, 2016

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4093460/bishop-told-lawrence-of-claims-against-him/

TWO weeks of Royal Commission sittings have finished with sensational evidence that former Newcastle bishop Roger Herft tipped off his dean at the time, Graeme Lawrence, about child sexual abuse allegations against him.

Reverend Herft has been Archbishop of Perth since leaving Newcastle in 2005 and he opened his evidence by telling the commission he put in place the first system to investigate sexual abuse by priests when he arrived in 1993.

But by the end of his evidence, the reverend had to admit his handling of the issue had been “totally unacceptable” and he never did “find out what on earth was going on”, despite being repeatedly warned about paedophiles in his diocese.

Just before the commission adjourned until Monday, August 29, Reverend Herft was asked about a husband-and-wife team of youth camp leaders who had told him in 1995 that two “boys” had told them of being sexually abused by Lawrence.

The couple, from Muswellbrook, had made a statement to the commission, saying that Reverend Herft was “more interested in standing up for Lawrence” than anything else, and that “if they continued to complain about Lawrence, they would be facing legal action for defamation of character”.

Unable to recall the meeting, Reverend Herft was shown a letter he had written at the time, which said: “Further to your meeting with me I have raised your particular concerns with the priest against whom the allegations were made and he has clearly informed me that as far as he is concerned he is not aware of any impropriety.”

The letter went on to say that “if there is any foundation” to the allegation the church “will take every step to see the matter is duly resolved and the offender dealt with”.

“However, it is equally true that if the matter is all speculation and rumour and has no basis, then we must be conscious that we are ruining a person’s character and integrity,” the reverend wrote.

“I am sure that the strong Christian ideals you hold to will recognise both elements within this case.”

Counsel assisting the commission, Naomi Sharp, put it to the reverend he was “not answering” her questions about Lawrence.

Ms Sharp said: “Are you seriously suggesting to the commission that you have no recollection of raising an extraordinarily serious allegation with one of the most senior priests in the diocese?”

Reverend Herft replied: “I do not have a memory, and can’t say otherwise, ma’am.”

Lawrence was defrocked for child sexual abuse in 2012 and that matter is one of the issues being examined by the commission.