Pressure Mounts for Royal Commission into Sex Abuse Within the Catholic Church

By Ken McGregor
The Australian
November 12, 2012

www.theaustralian.com.au/news/pressure-mounts-for-royal-commission-into-sex-abuse-within-the-catholic-church/story-e6frg6n6-1226514877569

[with video]

FEDERAL Labor backbenchers have joined independent MPs and the Greens to call on Prime Minister Julia Gillard to establish a royal commission into child sex abuse in the Catholic Church.

The calls, from Greens leader Christine Milne, Independents Tony Windsor, Nick Xenophon and Craig Thompson, come amid calls from the Prime Minister's own backbench to support a Royal Commission.

There are already state based commissions into sex abuse within the clergy currently underway in New South Wales and Victoria.

A Royal Commission would give investigators national and expansive powers to expose any alleged cover ups.

A victims group will today present to the Victorian government inquiry a list of 18 convicted peadophile priests who were moved from parish to parish or further away, where they continued offending.

The 18 include some of the most notorious peadophiles, such as Gerald Ridsdale, Edward Dowlan, Michael Glennon and the socialite priest Vincent Kiss, as well as many who barely caught public attention.

Mr Windsor said he would write to the Prime Minister, expressing his concerns about the "enormous number" of people affected by the allegations of abuse.

"They feel as though the system is letting them down," he told ABC radio.

"My advice to the prime minister and others ... is it is probably better to deal with this sooner rather than later."

Mr Windsor said the allegations had created an odour over the Catholic Church.

He is concerned about recent allegations, especially from a senior NSW police detective, about a cover-up inside the church.

The MP dismissed as "pathetic'' a decision by NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell to limit a special commission of inquiry to examine the police investigations of paedophile priests in the Hunter Valley.

"It almost makes a mockery of the people who have suffered," he said.

Any inquiry into the allegations needed to be national,'' Mr Windsor said.

"Blind Freddy can see that."

But the Premier was quick to defend his inquiry saying it would have all the powers of a royal commission and include allegations of a cover-up.

Federal Independent Senator Nick Xenophon wants any national commission to examine all religious abuse.

"This is not about singling out any particular church," he told ABC TV.

"It's about doing the right thing by victims."

Senator Xenophon today criticised Australia's most senior Catholic, Cardinal George Pell, for claiming sexual abuse by church members is historic.

He said Cardinal Pell was wrong to consign the epidemic of abuse to history.

Cardinal Pell told News Limited on the weekend that abuse and subsequent cover-ups were largely historic and not part of a systemic failing within the church.

But Senator Xenophon says victims are still suffering today and a royal commission is the best way to help them heal by uncovering the truth.

Senator Xenophon believes a commission could complete its work in one to two years.

If the Gillard government didn't act, independent MPs and senators would move a private members bill early in 2013 to establish a commission, he said.

Federal cabinet minister Craig Emerson said Ms Gillard had yet to discuss the issue with her colleagues.

"She wants to review the work that is going on already and also review the evidence and the issue more generally," Dr Emerson told ABC radio.

But federal Labor backbencher Doug Cameron insists a royal commission is needed.

"This (abuse) is a stain on Australian society," he told ABC TV today.

"The federal government needs to have a look at this and we need to take a national overview on these issues."

Cardinal Pell on the weekend said the church was being unfairly targeted due to "anti-Catholic prejudice".

However, Senator Cameron said if the church was confident abuse was no longer occurring "they should have nothing to fear from a royal commission".

The outspoken MP said the commission should focus on the Catholic Church because that's where the "major problem" was.

"If it had been any other organisation in the country ... there'd have been a royal commission a long time ago," Senator Cameron said, adding the church was extremely powerful and politically influential.

Fellow government backbencher Nick Champion wants a wider national examination.

"It should be a broad royal commission that looks into any Australian institution that had care of children and where these allegations have been made," he told Sky News.

Opposition frontbencher David Johnston said the revelations of child abuse were damaging the reputation of the Catholic Church.

"This has been an absolute blot on the landscape in terms of people's faith and trust in the church," Senator Johnston said.

But he was circumspect about the merits of a national royal commission.

"Remember, royal commissions are very expensive and people have to be cross-examined in giving their evidence," he said.

"The victims are often the last consideration in this, and I am concerned we put them through a court process that aggravates the situation."

Federal Opposition frontbencher Mitch Fifield agrees that "it's important to make sure that no one denomination is targeted".

He told Sky News the Opposition would look at any proposal put forward by Ms Gillard.

Australian Greens leader Christine Milne said the coercive powers of a royal commission would look at the systemic failure of the church.

"And that is what people want," she told ABC radio.

"There is no doubt that cover-up occurred and the key thing was to protect the church at all costs rather than have the embarrassment and the humiliation of this coming out."

Senator Milne said she would discuss the matter with Ms Gillard when parliament resumes later in November.

Ms Gillard is expected to comment on the possibility of a Royal Commission later today.