AUSTRALIA
ABC Ballarat
By ABC Ballarat
Ballarat’s Catholic bishop Peter Connors, sex abuse survivor Stephen Woods and Broken Rites spokesperson Wayne Chamley discuss the State Government’s announcement of a parliamentary inquiry into abuse of children by catholic priests. State Attorney General Robert Clark explains how the inquiry will work and why he thinks there is no need for a Royal Commission.
Following revelations of up to 40 suicides of abuse victims of abuse by two Ballarat priests in the 1960s, 70s and 80s the State Government has announced a parliamentary inquiry into the systemic failure to protect children from sexual abuse within institutions such as the Catholic Church.
“We hope this enquiry will be able to investigate the systemic issues that have been raised, in other words, the processes which religious and other non-government organisation follow to respond when allegations of child sexual or other abuse by personnel in their organisations emerge, and importantly to come up with any recommendations neccessary for changes to the law or changes to practices, policies or protocols that are followed in such organisations,” says State Attorney General Robert Clark.
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