AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald
December 4, 2015
Nino Bucci
Exclusive
Bishop Ronald Mulkearns is set to again evade questioning over his role as an alleged protector of paedophile priests, with the former Ballarat Bishop expected to shun a royal commission hearing despite being compelled to appear as a witness.
The testimony of Bishop Mulkearns, and the second grilling of Cardinal George Pell, shaped as a crucial piece of the final weeks of the commission’s hearings into institutional responses to child sexual abuse.
But Fairfax Media has been told that Bishop Mulkearns, who turned 85 last month, will not appear, again blaming ill-health.
The development appears to be a major blow to the commission, as Bishop Mulkearns was considered central to a failure to prevent decades of child sexual abuse at Catholic schools in the Ballarat region.
It can also be revealed that Brisbane Bishop Brian Finnigan will be called to give evidence, and is expected to be questioned about whether he was complicit in covering up abuse when he worked as Bishop Mulkearns’ secretary in Ballarat.
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