AUSTRALIA
Armidale Express

By STEPHEN JEFFERY
Nov. 12, 2012

NEW England politicians have joined calls for a national royal commission on allegations of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.

The state government announced a special commission of inquiry into the police force’s handling of child sex abuse allegations against priests in the Hunter on Friday.

Although it will have the powers of a royal commission, the inquiry’s focus has been described as a ‘decoy’ and too narrow in scope.

State Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay and federal Member for New England Tony Windsor claimed a national inquiry, rather than one focusing on a single state or region, was required.