Final hearings into various institutions

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
November 14, 2016

http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/2016-11/final-hearings-into-various-institutions

The Royal Commission will hold a series of public hearings in Sydney to inquire into the current policies and procedures of the following institutions in relation to child protection and child-safe standards, including responding to allegations of child sexual abuse:

• Case Study 47 YMCA New South Wales
• Case Study 48 Scouts New South Wales
• Case Study 49 The Salvation Army
• Case Study 50 Catholic Church authorities in Australia
• Case Study 51 Commonwealth and the State and Territory governments
• Case Study 52 Anglican Church authorities in Australia
• Case Study 53 Yeshivah Melbourne and Yeshiva Bondi
• Case Study 54 Jehovah’s Witnesses and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia Ltd
• Case Study 55 Australian Christian Churches and affiliated Pentecostal churches
• Case Study 56 Uniting Church in Australia.

The public hearing into YMCA New South Wales, Scouts New South Wales and The Salvation Army will commence on 5 December 2016 and is expected to end on 9 December 2016.

The public hearing into Catholic Church authorities in Australia will commence on 6 February 2017 and is expected to end on 24 February 2017.

The public hearing into Commonwealth, State and Territory governments will commence on 6 March 2017 and is expected to end on 10 March 2017.

The public hearing into Anglican Church authorities in Australia, Yeshivah Melbourne and Yeshiva Bondi, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia Ltd, Australian Christian Churches and affiliated Pentecostal churches, and the Uniting Church in Australia will commence on 20 March 2017 and is expected to end on 24 March 2017.

The scope and purpose of the public hearings is to consider:

1. The current policies and procedures of each named institution in relation to child protection and child-safe standards, including responding to allegations of child sexual abuse.
2. Factors that may have contributed to the occurrence of child sexual abuse in each named institution.
3. Factors that may have affected the institutional response of each named institution to child sexual abuse.
4. The responses of each named institution to relevant case study report(s) and other Royal Commission reports.
5. Data relating to the extent of claims of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Australia.
6. Data relating to the extent of claims of child sexual abuse in the Anglican Church in Australia.
7. Any related matters.

The purpose of these public hearings is not to inquire into individual sets of facts or particular events as has occurred in previous Royal Commission case studies.

The Royal Commission may invite selected individuals or organisations to speak to, or give evidence about, the submissions they have previously provided, however it is not proposed that leave to appear will be granted to these individuals or organisations, on the basis that they are speaking or giving evidence in this capacity.

It is not essential for others who give evidence in a hearing to apply for leave to appear – witnesses may give evidence without applying for leave.

Any person or institution wishing to seek leave to appear is invited to lodge a written application for leave to appear at the public hearings by:

• 21 November 2016 YMCA New South Wales, Scouts New South Wales and The Salvation Army
• 7 December 2016 Catholic Church authorities in Australia, Commonwealth, State and Territory governments, Anglican Church authorities in Australia, Yeshivah Melbourne and Yeshiva Bondi, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia Ltd, Australian Christian Churches and affiliated Pentecostal churches, and the Uniting Church in Australia.

Applications for leave to appear should be made using the form available here.