AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald
November 22, 2012
Sean Nicholls
Sydney Morning Herald State Political Editor
THE Premier, Barry O’Farrell, has announced the special commission of inquiry into the handling of allegations of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests in the Hunter will proceed and will report by next April.
Mr O’Farrell revealed plans for the NSW inquiry before the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, announced a national royal commission into child sexual abuse, raising questions about whether it would go ahead.
In Parliament on Wednesday, Mr O’Farrell confirmed the NSW inquiry would proceed and released its terms of reference.
He said it was important to investigate the claims that prompted the inquiry by a senior police officer, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox, that his investigations into paedophile priests had been hampered by police and the church.
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