Royal Commission to hold public hearing into Church of England Boys’ Society

AUSTRALIA
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

The Royal Commission will hold a public hearing commencing Wednesday 27 January 2016 at the Federal Court in Hobart.

The scope and purpose of the public hearing is to inquire into:

1. The experiences of survivors of child sexual abuse by lay people and/or clergy involved in or associated with the Church of England Boys’ Society.

2. The responses of the Church of England Boys’ Society and the Anglican Dioceses of Tasmania, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane to allegations of child sexual abuse made against lay people and/or clergy involved in or associated with the Church of England Boys’ Society, including Louis Daniels, Garth Hawkins, Robert Brandenberg, Simon Jacobs and John Elliott.

3. The systems, policies and procedures in place within the Church of England Boys’ Society and the Anglican Dioceses of Tasmania, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane in relation to:

— 1.youth camps and activities

— 2.raising and responding to concerns and complaints about child sexual abuse.

Any related matters.

Any person or institution who believes that they have a direct and substantial interest in the scope and purpose of the public hearing is invited to lodge a written application for leave to appear at the public hearing by 15 January 2016.

Applications for leave to appear should be made using the form available on the Royal Commission website.

Leave to appear will generally be granted when an applicant:

a. has been summoned to give evidence

b. is an institution, or is a representative of an institution, that is subject to the inquiry to be undertaken

c. may be the subject of an adverse allegation.

It is not essential for a person who will appear as a witness in a hearing to apply for leave to appear – witnesses may appear and give evidence without applying for leave.

The form should be lodged with the Royal Commission via:

Email: solicitor@childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au; or Mail: GPO Box 5283, Sydney NSW 2001.

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