ULTIMO (AUSTRALIA)
Australian Broadcasting Service
Sept. 11, 2019
By Emily Baker
The Catholic Church says it will not follow new Tasmanian laws that require priests to break the seal of confession to report suspicion of child sex abuse.
The Legislative Council yesterday passed Government legislation making religious ministry and MPs mandatory reporters of child sex abuse, along with teachers, police and health professionals.
The laws also require any Tasmanian with knowledge of child sex abuse to report the crime to police — or face up to 21 years’ imprisonment or fines of up to $3,360.
But Tasmania’s most senior Catholic said the laws would make paedophiles less likely to come forward.
In a statement, Archbishop Julian Porteous said priests were “unable” to follow secular law that required them to break the seal of confession.
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