Advocates Urge Action on Vic Abuse Report

The 9 News
November 12, 2013

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/11/12/17/01/advocates-urge-action-on-vic-abuse-report

Victims' advocates are urging a swift, bipartisan response to the Victorian parliament's landmark report on child sex abuse.

Advocacy group Commission of Inquiry Now (COIN) president Bryan Keon-Cohen said politicians must not await the outcome of the national royal commission when considering any recommendations made by the Victorian committee.

The report is due to be tabled on Wednesday after 12 months of submissions on the handling of child abuse by religious and other organisations, which began in October last year.

In November, then-prime minister Julia Gillard announced a royal commission into child sex abuse.

Dr Keon-Cohen said it would be a gross injustice if the state government deferred to the royal commission.

The royal commission has broader terms of reference than the Victorian inquiry which did not take in state institutions.

It has a deadline of December 2015, but is likely to go beyond that.

Dr Keon-Cohen said the Victorian government must act immediately on the inquiry's findings.

"It would be a gross injustice and unnecessary and wasteful if the Victorian parliament failed to respond properly to recommendations for reform," he said on Tuesday.

Victoria's Child Safety Commissioner Bernie Geary echoed this sentiment.

He said his office had identified a range of areas that could be addressed, but recommendations would strengthen his push for change.

In his submission to the inquiry he called for the Working with Children Act to be reformed to close loopholes and include religious personnel.

"There are things that Victorians can and should do now better to protect children," Mr Geary said.

Stephen Woods, who was abused by a pedophile priest, says the strength of the report will be a litmus test for the parliament.

"I want to see people being held accountable," he told AAP.

"This is a time in Australia's history when politicians, when people in power of all areas, will be put to the test."

Victims and advocates are hoping for compensation, mandatory reporting laws and legislative reform that would allow organisations such as the Catholic Church - which has been accused of covering up abuse - to be sued.

It is also expected the report will recommend the state government create a new criminal offence "for ministers of religion who fail to report physical or sexual abuse of children by other clergy", according to News Corp Australia.

The report will be tabled in parliament on Wednesday morning.