AUSTRALIA
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has announced the matters to be investigated in the three remaining public hearings in 2013. The announcement was made today at the opening of the first public hearing in Sydney.
Counsel Assisting Ms Gail Furness SC, advised that the YMCA, the Anglican Diocese of Grafton and the Towards Healing process by the Catholic Church would be examined in public hearings two, three and four respectively before the end of the year.
Ms Furness said that:
* The second public hearing in October would examine the responses of YMCA and the Police to allegations made in 2011 that Jonathan Lord sexually abused children in the care of YMCA;
* The third public hearing in November is to examine the handling of complaints and civil litigation concerning child sexual abuse in the North Coast Children’s Home by the Anglican Diocese of Grafton in 2006 and 2007; while
*The final public hearing for 2013, in December, would hear evidence about the establishment, operation and review of the Towards Healing process by the Catholic Church. In addition, it will explore how that process works in practice with evidence from a number of people who have participated in it.
Ms Furness also indicated that investigations were already well underway for public hearings in 2014.
“I can say at this stage that next year, an orphanage will be the subject of an early public hearing as will one or more institutions within the Catholic Church and the Salvation Army,” Ms Furness told the hearing.
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