AUSTRALIA
The Daily Telegraph
[with video]
Gemma Jones and Andrew Clennell
The Daily Telegraph
November 13, 2012
ABUSE of children and subsequent cover-ups by churches and others will be investigated by a sweeping royal commission, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced last night.
The historic inquiry was prompted amid mounting pressure, following NSW Police Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox’s claims the Catholic church had hindered police, destroyed evidence and moved offending priests in relation to child abuse investigations.
Ms Gillard said the commission, which could stretch on for years, would look at all church groups, all schools, public entities, and private, not-for-profit and community groups.Ms Gillard said there had been too many adults who had “averted their eyes” from the issue and a systematic failure of abused children called for a national response through a royal commission.
“Over the past few weeks we’ve seen revelations in the newspapers which really go to the question of cover-up, of other adults not doing what they should have done to come to assist,” she said.
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