Don't Single out Catholics, Pell Warns

By Pia Akerman
The Australian
May 30, 2013

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/dont-single-out-catholics-pell-warns/story-e6frgczx-1226653307676

THE nation's most senior Catholic has warned Victoria not to pursue legislative reform that would end the church's protection from sexual abuse victims seeking greater levels of compensation in the courts.

Victims and legal groups yesterday responded angrily to George Pell's written submission to the Victorian inquiry he faced this week, describing some of his words as incredible and offensive.

Cardinal Pell cautioned inquiry members against recommending reforms that would recognise the church as a legal entity that could be sued for the actions of its priests.

The inquiry had been fed a "misunderstanding of the facts and analysis" underpinning the 2007 NSW Court of Appeal ruling on legal action taken against the church by abused altar boy John Ellis. "The Ellis decision stands for nothing more than the commonsense proposition that you cannot be liable for wrongdoing of others unless you authorised, or are directly or indirectly responsible for supervising, their conduct," he said.

"Unless the parliament intends to discriminate against the Catholic community and single it out for special treatment, proposals for legislative reform would effectively have to make all incorporated and unincorporated entities liable for the criminal conduct of their employees or members.