AUSTRALIA
ABC – PM
[with audio]
MARK COLVIN: The former bishop of Toowoomba says he’s still stunned by the failure of senior Catholic Education staff to report allegations that a teacher was sexually abusing his students.
Emeritus Bishop William Morris was the head of the Toowoomba Archdiocese when Gerard Byrnes sexually abused 13 girls at a primary school in 2007 and 2008.
Today he told the child abuse royal commission that a culture of doubting allegations needs to be stamped out and a national approach was needed to make that happen.
Stephanie Smail reports.
STEPHANIE SMAIL: The child abuse royal commission has been investigating how staff and Catholic Church officials dealt with allegations of sexual offences against veteran teacher Gerard Byrnes.
The former bishop of Toowoomba, William Morris, told the inquiry he was unaware of complaints against Byrnes until his arrest in late 2008.
Bishop Morris was asked by counsel assisting the inquiry, Gail Furness, about the string of failures that allowed Byrnes to keep teaching.
GAIL FURNESS: Byrnes was not removed as a student protection officer, notwithstanding the allegations made?
WILLIAM MORRIS: Failure.
GAIL FURNESS: Nor was he adequately monitored following the allegations in September 2007?
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