Church says protecting kids a priority

9 News
August 25, 2014

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2014/08/25/19/35/church-says-protecting-kids-a-priority

Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart says the protection of children has always been the priority, but abuse victims disagree he has been quick to act on child sex abuse claims.

Archbishop Hart said when there's litigation between the church and abuse victims, his attitude had been that the church had a responsibility to meet victims' needs with compassion and resolve their claims fairly and as early as possible.

"When these criminals do these awful things, it gives me no joy whatsoever and that's why I've always been ... very quick to act because the protection of children is the absolute priority," he told the abuse royal commission on Monday.

Archbishop Hart also told the commission he was conscious of the "heavy burden of responsibility" owed generally by the church to Emma and Katie Foster, two sisters abused by pedophile priest Kevin O'Donnell.

Emma later took her own life and Katie was left permanently disabled in a road accident.

The girls' father Anthony Foster rejected the archbishop's assertion that he viewed the protection of children as paramount.

"If his protection of children and his moral responsibility to victims was the highest priority, he could initiate changes straight away," he told reporters outside the hearing.

Mr Foster said the archbishop's testimony was "more of the same" and not backed up by action.

He accused the archbishop of grandstanding over his announcement to appoint a retired judge to review the Melbourne Response compensation for victims.

"The review of the Melbourne Response has been going on in this court room for over a week now, and that's what should be listened to - not another review by someone within the Catholic Church and appointed by the Catholic Church."

Mr Foster said Archbishop Hart should've taken the moral decision now to remove the cap on compensation payouts, reassess all existing cases and just get on with it so victims get real relief.

"The Melbourne Response is set up, all we need to do is change some of the parameters on it, that's what has to happen and it should happen very quickly."