AUSTRALIA
The Guardian
Australian Associated Press
Wednesday 10 August 2016
Attempts were made to change Anglican church rules so that findings of child sex abuse against priests were kept private, a whistleblower has told the royal commission.
Michael Elliott, a former policeman, has been the professional standards director in the diocese of Newcastle, New South Wales, since 2009.
On Thursday he told the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse that there was a move within the diocese to undermine the professional standards body as soon as it began investigating allegations against the former dean of Newcastle cathedral, Graeme Lawrence, and four others.
Elliott told the commission he was head of professional standards when a man, referred to in the commission as CKH, reported he had been groomed by a priest, Andrew Duncan, in 1980, when CKH was 14. CKH told the commission he subsequently had sex with Lawrence and a priest, Bruce Hoare, the commission has heard.
CKH gave his evidence on Tuesday and said Lawrence’s long-time partner, Greg Goyette, a teacher, also had sex with him.
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