O'Farrell slams Catholic Church response to Hunter region child abuse

ABC News
June 18, 2014

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-18/o27farrell-slams-catholic-church-response-to-hunter-region-chi/5531504

Former New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell scathing of the Catholic Church's response to child sexual abuse

The former New South Wales premier Barry O'Farrell has hit out at the Catholic Church for failing to act on allegations of child sexual abuse within the Hunter Region.

Last night's comments made in State Parliament were in response to the report handed down by the Special Commission of Inquiry, set up to investigate the diocese.

It found that senior Catholics failed to report abuse by former priests Denis McAlinden and James Fletcher, who are both now dead.

Mr O'Farrell says he was motivated to establish the inquiry after seeing ABC reports in 2012 and wanted to see those who abused children brought to justice.

He singled out five key figures who failed to act on the allegations and criticised cover-ups made by the church.

"This is behaviour which would be inexcusable and unacceptable to anyone," he said.

"Which I find unbelievable, abominable and frankly unchristian when found amongst so-called men of the cloth."

Mr O'Farrell described the church's inaction on dealing with the allegations as criminal.

"This criminal inaction was never justifiable to avoid a church scandal," he said.

"The inquiry reminds us that during a period of inaction by the diocese, McAlinden continued to abuse children in the late 1970s, 80s and into the 1990s."