Bathurst forum for sexual abuse survivors

By Murray Nicholls
Western Advocate
March 12, 2017

http://www.westernadvocate.com.au/story/4524300/bathurst-forum-for-sexual-abuse-survivors/

KEYNOTE SPEECH: Greens MLC David Shoebridge.

GREENS MLC David Shoebridge will host a public forum in Bathurst this week to support the survivors of historic sexual abuse at St Stanislaus’ College.

Holding The Church to Account will discuss ways to make amends to the victims of abuse and how to make institutions accountable for past wrongs.

Mr Shoebridge said he was hosting the forum in response to the decision by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse not to hold a public hearing in Bathurst, despite the city’s chequered history.

“Often in a regional community it can be hard to find the space to talk about these deeply tragic and disturbing local events,” he said.

“We have had a number of people contact The Greens and suggest that having someone from outside of Bathurst offer that opportunity might be helpful.”

Mr Shoebridge said the Royal Commission had done some extraordinary work but he would like to have seen it hold a public hearing in Bathurst.

“I understand there are limited resources but when we have had public hearings in Geelong I think people in Bathurst were asking ‘are we going to be next?’,” he said.

“It now looks like that won’t happen but I think the victims of abuse at all institutions want those institutions held to account. They want a genuine apology and meaningful redress and it needs to be timely.”

Mr Shoebridge said he believed the Catholic Church and St Stanislaus’ College had failed in terms of a timely and genuine apology.

Mr Shoebridge will deliver the keynote address at the forum while a statement of support from Orange Phil Donato MP will also be read out. Mr Shoebridge said he would invite representatives from St Stanislaus’ College and the local Catholic Church to attend.