Church to Review Sexual Abuse Complaints Policy

The Cathnews
November 20, 2012

www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=34142


The Catholic Church will review its national sexual abuse complaints policy at next week's meeting of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, reports The Australian.

ACBC president Archbisghop Denis Hart (pictured) confirmed both Towards Healing and the church's other complaints process, the Melbourne Response, would be on the agenda at next week's Sydney meeting of the church's peak body.

"I am sure the bishops will discuss the two present responses in the light of their inherent value, as well as any criticism, to assess the best way forward for all," Archbishop Hart said.

A spokesperson for Cardinal Pell's archdiocese of Sydney said the sexual abuse complaints policy had been reviewed since it was introduced in 1997. "We would expect procedures to be revised again as the commission progresses and of course when final recommendations are made," the spokesperson said.

Towards Healing and the Melbourne Response, set up by Cardinal Pell when he was Melbourne archbishop in 1996, have been the subject of trenchant criticism by victims groups and others.

The bishops' conference is preparing to respond to the consultation paper on establishing the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse by close of business on Monday.

The Age reports that Attorney-General Nicola Roxon has defended the tight timeframe for feedback on proposed arrangements for the royal commission.

The government has allowed just one week for comments on a discussion paper it released on Mondaywhich sets out options for the commission's terms of reference and other details.

The ABC reports that NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell says it is disappointing there is only a one week public consultation period over the terms of reference for the Federal Government's Royal Commission into child sex abuse.

The Greens say the public has not been given enough time to have a say about the terms of reference.

Victims groups such as the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, have said the timeline is too tight. But Ms Roxon defended the process, hinting the government would take a flexible approach to late submissions, the Age said.