Focus on Abuse-case Insurers: Church

By Milanda Rout and Jared Owens
The Australian
November 27, 2012

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/focus-on-abuse-case-insurers-church/story-fngburq5-1226524512318

THE Anglican Church in Brisbane has called for the royal commission into child sex abuse to put insurance companies under the microscope, saying some refuse to allow religious organisations to settle financial compensation and instead insist on fighting victims in court.

The submission, one of more than 300 contributions received by Attorney-General Nicola Roxon last night after a week-long consultation on the structure of the national inquiry, argues that often the diocese is "inhibited from acting as it would wish" by insurance companies that want to "litigate rather than settle".

The Brisbane Diocese, headed by Anglican Primate Phillip Aspinall, also says the commission should review mandatory reporting processes to deal with occasions when adult survivors report child abuse to churches but say they do not want to go to the police.

The deadline for responses to the government's consultation paper on the commission's terms of reference ended last night at 5pm, with state governments, victims' advocacy groups and churches among many making submissions.