AUSTRALIA
Illawarra Mercury

By STEPHEN JONES
Nov. 12, 2012

I believe the federal Government should set up a Royal Commission into systemic child abuse, and cover up by churches and others. I don’t rush quickly to the call for Royal Commissions. They have great investigative powers which, when combined with the constant scrutiny of the mass media, can alter the course of public opinion and personal reputation well in advance of any findings and recommendations being recorded. I believe they should only be used where it is clear that policing and judicial determination have failed. It appears that this is such a case.

This is not because there is some grand conspiracy between police, courts and church organisations. I don’t believe this is the case. But what is clear, and in some instances admitted, is that the Church organisations actively sort to cover up their offences.

Cardinal Pell…