AUSTRALIA
The Australian
John Ferguson, Victorian political editor
From:The Australian
April 19, 201212:00AM
TONY Abbott has thrown his weight behind the controversial inquiry into child abuse by religious and community organisations in Victoria but warned against singling out institutions such as the Catholic Church.
The Opposition Leader also backed mandatory reporting of child sex offenders, saying yesterday that instances of criminality should be reported to police.
Without naming the Catholic Church, Mr Abbott counselled against attacking “particular institutions” on the grounds that abuse was not isolated to one faith or entity.
He said Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu deserved support for instituting a parliamentary inquiry, which would report within a year into the way church and other community organisations had handled child sex abuse allegations.
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