AUSTRALIA
Otago Daily Times
Mon, 19 Nov 2012
Editorial
The announcement by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard last week that its Government will set up a Royal Commission of inquiry into institutional child sexual abuse is a major step towards shining a light on the dark deeds, secrets, lies and cover-ups of the past – and hopefully providing victims with an opportunity for recognition and justice in the future.
Although its terms of reference are yet to be outlined, it appears the investigation will be the most comprehensive inquiry into child sexual abuse in Australia’s history, focusing not just on abuse in religious organisations, but also state-care providers and not-for-profit bodies. It will also examine the responses of child-service agencies and police.
There had been calls for a national and wide-ranging inquiry after allegations by a senior New South Wales police investigator that the Catholic Church covered up evidence involving paedophile priests, thwarting attempts to investigate hundreds of allegations of abuse in the Hunter region since the mid-1990s. Ms Gillard said “the allegations that have come to light recently about child sexual abuse have been heartbreaking”.
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