Royal commission into sexual abuse: Issue of redress must be a priority, commissioner says

By Nicole Chettle
ABC News
March 27, 2017

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-27/victims-waited-too-long-for-response-says-royal-commission-chair/8390054

Justice Peter McClellan said it was impossible for the commission to investigate every allegation.

Victims have waited too long for a response to their suffering and protection of children should be a top priority in Australia, says the chair of the royal commission into child sexual abuse.

After three-and-a-half years with sessions in every capital city, the final public hearing has begun in Sydney.

Chair of the commission, Justice Peter McClellan, said it was remarkable there were failures at more than 4,000 institutions identified in abuse allegations.

He said more than 1,200 witnesses gave evidence about abuse that occurred at "public and private schools, detention centres, out-of-home care, churches, orphanages and government bodies".

"We have also inquired into defence establishments, sporting clubs, after-school care, dance and performing arts academies, institutions providing services for children with disability, scouts, healthcare providers and a yoga ashram."

Justice McClellan said the commission would continue to hear evidence from another 2,000 people in private sessions which would conclude in December.

But after 400 days of public hearings, he urged governments and institutions to tackle the issue of redress.

"Survivors have waited too long for an effective response to their suffering," he said.

"And the future protection of Australian children must now be given the highest priority."

Earlier the commission reported that redress could include an apology, counselling and monetary compensation.

Justice McClellan said the commission's research into how children came to be abused was unprecedented in its scale and its final report would include recommendations to ensure, as much as possible, that no child is abused in an Australian institution.

The commissioner said some survivors would be disappointed that the institution they were abused in was not part of the public inquiry, and that it was impossible for the commission to examine every allegation.

"It may be that criminal proceedings are underway and that a public hearing by the commission would prejudice a fair trial," he said.

"It may also be that the documentary trail is inadequate to enable us to ascertain the institution's response to the problems."

Justice McClellan said extensive resources was required for each of the 57 case studies, and the commission compulsorily acquired 1.2 million documents which then had to be analysed.

But that is cold comfort for one woman, whose son was abused at a boarding school in Bathurst, in the central-west of New South Wales.

Carole Nielsen said she would not give up on the fight to have a public hearing into child sexual abuse at St Stanislaus, which has been at the centre of shocking allegations.

"I can understand that it has been a huge task but as the mother of a survivor who was sexually abused at Bathurst I'm extremely disappointed and I am very concerned," Ms Nielsen said.

"We're not going to stop campaigning to have this examined. We're not going to give up.

"We had to fight to get the school exposed and we're going to fight to get it before the royal commission."

Justice McClellan said the commission strived to give the public "an understanding of how institutions failed. I believe this has been achieved".

The commission's final report, which will include "comprehensive recommendations designed to better protect children" will be delivered to the Governor-General on December 15.