Public Hearing into St Joseph’s Orphanage, Neerkol

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
February 27, 2015

http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/2015-02/public-hearing-into-st-joseph%E2%80%99s-orphanage,-neerkol


The Royal Commission will hold a public hearing commencing on Tuesday 14 April 2015 at the Rockhampton Court House, Virgil Power Building, 46 East Street, Rockhampton.

The scope and purpose of the public hearing is to inquire into:

The experiences of a number of men and women who were resident at St Joseph’s Orphanage, Neerkol operated by the Sisters of Mercy between 1940 and 1975;

The responses of:

a. the Sisters of Mercy

b. the Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton, and

c. the Queensland state government

to complaints made by former residents of St Joseph’s Orphanage, Neerkol of child sexual abuse by workers, priests and nuns at the Orphanage between 1993 and present.

Any related matters.

Any person or institution who believes that they have a direct and substantial interest in the scope and purpose of the public hearing is invited to lodge a written application for leave to appear at the public hearing by 20 March 2015.

Applications for leave to appear should be made using the form available on the Royal Commission website.

The form and the submission should be lodged with the Royal Commission via:

Email: solicitor@childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au

or Mail: GPO Box 5283, Sydney NSW 2001.

Interested individuals and organisations are encouraged to view the proceedings via the webcast on the Royal Commission’s website.