Vic Govt urged to act faster on child abuse inquiry recommendations

ABC News
March 19, 2014

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-19/vic-govt-urged-to-act-faster-on-child-abuse/5330294

Ballarat abuse survivors say the State Government has not moved quickly enough to implement recommendations from a Victorian parliamentary inquiry into responses to child sex abuse.

Last November, the inquiry suggested a range of reforms on child safety, including changes to the criminal law and improvements to child protection standards.

Ballarat abuse survivor Andrew Collins says some victims are becoming impatient waiting for the recommendations to be implemented, saying they want a clearer time line from the Government.

"We need action, people are suffering, people are hurting, we want to make sure action is taken," he said.

Premier Denis Napthine says the Government is acting on the report.

"We've already implemented a number of the other recommendations of the report but a full response will be made in a timely manner," he said.

"We've already seen legislation introduced to the Parliament in terms of grooming, further legislation will be brought into the Parliament in response to that report."

The Premier says he intends to make good on the Government's promise to respond to the report fully within six months of its release.

The first country Victorian sessions of the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse are being held in Ballarat this week.