AUSTRALIA
The Australian
Dan Box
From: The Australian
November 19, 2013
AN Anglican diocese refused to compensate victims of abuse committed in a children’s home, despite previously making dozens of payments in other similar cases, because it was struggling with debts elsewhere, an inquiry has heard.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard this morning that a letter to the Bishop of Grafton from one of these victims detailing his abuse went effectively unanswered for 18 months.
The victim was one of dozens of children at the North Coast Children’s Home in Lismore, northern NSW, who suffered brutal sexual and physical abuse at the hands of priests and church workers, the commission heard.
This victim, as well as another who had also written personally to Bishop Keith Slater, subsequently heard back from his lawyers, who said their claims would not be considered, despite around 40 other victims receiving settlements in the past.
Anne Hywood, who was employed as the diocese’s acting registrar earlier this year, said she had been “furious” to discover this had been the official response to the victim’s claims.
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