First abuse case uncovers NSW problems

Daily Mail (UK)
June 30, 2014

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/aap/article-2674547/First-abuse-case-uncovers-NSW-problems.html

By AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS How did a pedophile stay a Scout leader, evade NSW working-with-children vetting processes, become CEO of a children's home, get close to fostering a child and escape early prosecution?

The first public hearing of the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse wanted answers to those questions when it sat on September 16, 2013 at Governor Macquarie Tower in Sydney.

Steven Larkins, former Scout leader and general manager of Hunter Aboriginal Children's Services (HACS), was jailed in 2012 for a string of offences against children and for offences committed to avoid detection.

There had been reports about him since the early 1990s.

Five institutions - Scouts Australia NSW, HACS, the Department of Community Services (DoCs), the Commission for Children and Young People, and the NSW Police Force - were under the commission's spotlight.

None came out smelling of roses when the commission published findings on Case Study 1 on May 25 this year.

Former regional head of Scouts Australia Allan Currie was found to be more concerned about the institution's reputation than taking effective action against Larkins.

Haphazard NSW Police record-keeping and poor judgment by DoCs workers made it easy for Larkins to groom and molest children.

DoCs assessed Larkins to be a risk to children but sent the assessment to him. The Commission for Children and Young People withdrew the assessment on Larkins' false statement he would not be working with children.

HACS failed to follow its own procedures when Larkins applied to foster a boy in 2011.

WITNESSES

Two of Larkins' victims and the mother of one gave evidence.

Also in the witness box was Scouts Australia personnel including former NSW commissioners Allan Currie and Peter Olah.

Currie admitted he was concerned to protect Scouts' reputation.

In 2003, Larkins, who is part Aboriginal, was asked to resign quietly from Scouts.

"The feeling was that if we reinstated him and he caused any further issues it would be bad, but if we dismissed him he could then use the racial discrimination card," Currie said.

NSW police constable Nigel Turney, who mishandled an investigation in 1997, and the NSW Children's Guardian Kerryn Boland also gave evidence.

Boland spoke of flaws in the system at the time, which meant there was no legal barrier to Larkins fostering a child.

The current chief executive of the NSW Department of Family and Community Services, Maree Walk, apologised for bureaucratic bungling that let Larkins keep his job.