Sex Abuse Inquiry Must Go Further

Adelaide Now
November 10, 2012

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sex-abuse-inquiry-must-go-further/story-e6frea6u-1226513939297

CALLS for inquiries and royal commissions have become so ubiquitous for anyone with a grievance that it is easy to grow deaf to such appeals.

But when it's a grievance as serious as the alleged cover up of child sexual abuse within two of society's most important and venerated institutions, it pays to stop and listen.

To his credit, Barry O'Farrell has done this in setting up a special commission of inquiry into the allegations about child sex abuse among Catholic clergy in the Hunter - albeit only after he was brought under full media scrutiny for not having acted.

Likewise he has made a wise choice in the selection of Margaret Cunneen SC to head it. Ms Cunneen has a deserved reputation as a fearless and dogged legal mind unbeholden to the many vested interests that permeate Sydney life.

Indeed, much will rest on Ms Cunneen's famously tireless pursuit of justice, as it appears another thing Mr O'Farrell has done is squib on the full scope of inquiry needed to purge the church of its dark history in these matters and deliver resolution to the alleged victims in this case.

Critically, the inquiry announced by the Premier yesterday will look only at allegations police did not act on Catholic paedophile allegations in the Hunter. It is about as narrow a remit as one can get for a problem that even many church leaders have admitted was distressingly widespread.

Needless to say Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox, whose pleas for a royal commission into church cover-ups were so long ignored by the Premier, has described the response as "an insult".

Insp Fox's frustrations are understandable, although we would argue that any progress in the uncovering of this evil practice and the dismantling of any networks that failed to act on it can only be a good thing.

Nonetheless it appears obvious that neither the depth nor breadth of this inquiry goes anywhere near far enough to expose and eliminate this problem at its roots. Even if many of the claims are historical no traces of a culture that tolerated sex abuse should be allowed to remain in this state.We look now to Ms Cunneen to request from Mr O'Farrell the scope and powers she needs to deliver peace and closure to the vulnerable she has spent her life crusading for.

Celebration of summer

CRICKET is perhaps the quintessential Australian game: we can beat the Poms at it, it goes on for days and you can watch it while drinking a beer - hell, you can even play it while drinking a beer.

It's part of every Australian summer, be it belting balls at the beach or bowling them in the backyard or just the odd "tock" of a solid slog coming from the TV in the background while you fire up the barbecue.

And, let's face it, at two for two-and-a-half centuries we've got the South Africans, er, just where we want them.

So bring on this summer of cricket and c'mon Aussie, c'mon.