AUSTRALIA
9 News
A member of the Jehovah’s Witness governing body in New York, who is in Australia, declined to be a witness at the royal commission into child sexual abuse.
On Tuesday the commission was told by lawyers for the church that Geoffrey Jackson who is in Australia for “private, compassionate matters” would not be able to give relevant evidence.
Angus Stewart, SC, counsel advising said the commission wrote a second time to the church lawyers asking if they would accept service of a summons on Mr Jackson because his evidence would be useful in relation to the formulation of policies and procedures by the governing body and the possibility of changing those laws.
Mr Stewart said it was decided not to summon Mr Jackson because lawyers outlined the compassionate reasons for his visit to the country, however the commission would need to hear more evidence from the church’s governing body Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia – possibly by video conferencing.
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