State Government Inquiry on Sexual Abuse Suicide Link in Religious Organisations Not Far Enough, Says Group

By Ashley Gardiner
Herald Sun
April 17, 2012

www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/state-government-inquiry-to-probe-sexual-abuse-suicide-link-in-religious-organisations/story-fn7x8me2-1226330067211

State Government set to investigate child sex abuse linked to a number of suicides.

UPDATE: THE Victorian Government has come under fire for ordering a parliamentary inquiry to investigate child sex abuse by the clergy, rather than a royal commission.

Premier Ted Baillieu and Attorney-General Robert Clark made the announcement at Parliament House at 1.15pm.

An inquiry was one of the key recommendations of an earlier inquiry into child protection by retired judge Phillip Cummins.

It also follows reports of a police investigation that has linked a number of suicides with sex abuse by priests.

The Cummins inquiry recommended that "a formal investigation should be conducted into the processes by which religious organisations response to the criminal abuse of children by religious personnel within their organisations."

Cummins called for the investigation to have "the powers to compel the elicitation of witness evidence and of documentary and electronic evidence".

But Broken Rites volunteer Wayne Chamley said he was upset the Government had not set up a royal commission to investigate both proven cases and allegations of sexual abuse.

"It's very disappointing that a parliamentary inquiry is not going to have the teeth to get to the bottom of what has been going on for the last 40 years at least," Mr Chamley told reporters.

Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart this morning said the church would co-operate with any independent child sex abuse inquiry.

Premier Baillieu said a parliamentary inquiry, not a judge, would conduct the investigation.

The bipartisan Family and Community Development Committee has been issued with its terms of reference for the probe.

It is due to report by 30 April 2013.

The investigation will look into the "practices, policies and protocols of religious and other non-government organisations for the handling of allegations of criminal abuse of children by personnel within their organisations."

In a statement, Mr Baillieu said: "While the investigation and prosecution of individual cases of abuse are matters for the police and the courts, the broader and systemic implications of this abuse need to be investigated to ensure that everything possible is done to protect children."

The inquiry will consider whether there needs to be any changes to the law, or to the policies of churches and other organisations, to help prevent the abuse of children.

Mr Baillieu said a parliamentary inquiry, rather than judicial probe, had been chosen as the most appropriate model.

"A parliamentary inquiry will be able to proceed in a less formal and legalistic manner than a Royal Commission, and with no expectation that persons giving evidence will be required to have legal representation," Mr Baillieu said.