AUSTRALIA
The Australian
Chip Le Grand and Pia Akerman
From:The Australian
April 14, 2012
THE Catholic Church says it has “nothing to hide” if the Victorian government establishes an independent inquiry into its treatment of sexual abuse victims.
The church was also prepared for its priests to be subject to the same mandatory reporting laws as govern teachers, doctors and other professionals.
But despite vowing to co-operate “generously and fully” with any inquiry, Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart yesterday took aim at Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton for the leaking of a report cataloguing at least 40 cases of suicide by victims of priests.
“It appears that a confidential report has been given to the media,” Archbishop Hart said in response to a report in The Age that accused the church of choosing to remain silent over its knowledge of the deaths.
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