AUSTRALIA
ABC News – AM
[with audio]
Posted Thu Jan 17, 2013
The Catholic Church says it will waive confidentiality agreements it’s signed with child sexual abuse victims and release any documents IF requested by the royal commission. It’s responding to the head of the royal commission, Justice Peter McClellan, who’s emphasised his inquiry has the power to compel the production of evidence and expects all institutions with confidential agreements to cooperate, saying his inquiry won’t hestitate in exercising that power.
Alexandra Kirk
Transcript
TONY EASTLEY: The Catholic Church says it will do what it can to ensure past failures are not repeated. It’s vowed to assist the Royal commission and that includes releasing child sexual abuse victims from confidentiality agreements they’ve signed with the church.
As well the church says it will release any documents the Royal Commission might want.
Francis Sullivan, who’s been appointed by the Catholic Church to coordinate its response to the royal commission, told Alexandra Kirk everyone wants the truth to emerge.
FRANCIS SULLIVAN: The whole issue of confidentiality clauses if they need to be waived in order for the truth to come out, they’ll be waived.
ALEXANDRA KIRK: Will the Catholic Church as a matter of principle now waive all its confidentiality agreements with victims of sexual abuse?
FRANCIS SULLIVAN: As Commission McClelland said yesterday, he does not want to see any barriers put in place in order to affect the work of the commission and we don’t want to see any barriers in place that will not allow the truth to come out and so our principle position in this is that where confidentially clauses need to be waived, they will be waived.
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