Anthony Foster's Funeral Celebrates His "Grace" and Legacy in Fight against Child Sex Abuse
By Kathy Lord
Anthony Foster fundamentally changed Australia through his tireless campaigning to bring to account the perpetrators of child sexual abuse, a state funeral in Melbourne has been told.
Mr Foster and his wife Chrissie dedicated the past two decades to seeking justice for abuse victims within the Catholic Church. The 64-year-old hit his head in a fall last month and did not regain consciousness. His family switched off his life support on May 26. The repeated rape of two of Mr Foster's daughters, Emma and Katie, in the 1980s by a Melbourne paedophile priest set the family on its course to find justice for all victims of sexual assault. Emma Foster suffered from eating disorders, drug addition and self-harm after the abuse, and in 2008 she overdosed on medication and died at the age of 26. Katie Foster developed problems with alcohol after her experiences, and was left with physical and mental disabilities after being hit by a drunk driver in 1999. ABC journalist Paul Kennedy, a close friend and the co-author of a book about the family's experiences, described Mr Foster as his "hero" and called on both state and federal politicians to continue his work.
"Anthony would want me to remind those in power, those sitting in this room today and those watching at state and commonwealth levels, that the royal commissioner's recommendations must be acted upon," Kennedy said. "Please do it without delay and without hearing any more from those people responsible for failing our children." Mr Foster's daughter Aimee described her father as pure of heart and forgiving, and said "the whole expanse of his beauty flourished behind closed doors". "Most of all he was generous with his love, because he knew that this is where real value [was]," she said. "We will be OK because you showed us the way. We will continue to love, laugh and share. "We are thoroughly better human beings for having had you in our lives."
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews described Mr Foster as the embodiment of grace. "Grace — it's a singular word in Christian tradition. Grace is generous, grace is kind. And grace recognises no class, caste," he said. "Standing here today, friends, I can think of no finer example of grace, of a man who loved and cared [and] rescued than Anthony Foster." He said Mr Foster would leave a lasting legacy. "Because of Anthony, victims are now finally being heard and because of Anthony, this nation and this state are fundamentally changed forever." After dealing with their own personal tragedy, Mr Andrews said, the Fosters had dedicated their lives to fighting on behalf of every other victim. A long-time friend, John van Raay, said Mr Foster should be posthumously recognised for his work through an Australian of the Year award.
A book written by Chrissie Foster about their experiences led to the formation of a Victorian inquiry into abuse and the federal Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Calling child sexual abuse "the gravest of personal violations", chair Peter McClellan said Mr Foster understood without a national inquiry there was little chance the Australian community would understand what had occurred. The Fosters made it their mission to attend most of the commission's hearings, often caring for the victims who gave testimony about their abuse. "Anthony was a loving and good man. He was gentle, courageous and caring," Justice McClellan said. "Anthony's legacy will be realised by a just response for all those who were abused in an institution. This must include a commitment by the Australian community that these terrible crimes should never happen again."
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