AUSTRALIA
International Business Times

By Gianluca Mezzofiore

November 12, 2012

The Catholic Church in Australia is under fire after Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced a federal inquiry into allegations of child sex abuse in churches, charities and schools.

Accusations of a massive cover-up by the Church have mounted in the past weeks after a case emerged in the Hunter Valley region north of Sidney. Officials are also investigating a separate series of priest sex abuse allegations in the state of Victoria.

“There have been too many revelations of adults who have averted their eyes from this evil. I believe in these circumstances that it’s appropriate for there to be a national response through a Royal Commission,” Gillard said.

The Royal Commission, which is the top investigating institution in Australia, will look into a wide range of cases across the nation