Royal commission: No challenge to abuse survivors' claims about Pell

By Jane Lee
Age
May 25, 2015

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/royal-commission-no-challenge-to-abuse-survivors-claims-about-pell-20150525-gh99uw.html

Cardinal George Pell is expected to be asked for a full response to claims put before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Photo by Alessandra Tarantino

Lawyers for the Catholic Church insist they will not challenge survivors' claims Cardinal George Pell tried to bribe one and ignored another's abuse reports, even though they themselves are willing to be cross-examined.

The Royal Commission  into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is expected to make findings on the claims, and to ask for a full response from Cardinal Pell, who now manages the Vatican's finances in Rome.

Lawyers for David Ridsdale and Timothy Green – Dr Martine Marich and  Dr Kristine Hanscombe  – told the  commission on Monday that their clients were both willing to be recalled to give more evidence about their claims from last week, and to be cross-examined if required. 

Dr Hanscombe, for Mr Green, said this was in response to an "inquiry".

It is believed that Counsel Assisting the Commission Gail Furness, SC, made the inquiry.

Peter Gray, SC, has repeatedly declined to cross-examine Mr Ridsdale and Mr Green on their accounts of separate conversations with George Pell in 1993 and 1974 respectively, to avoid making their experience before the commission more difficult.

Mr Gray told the commission on Monday "both of those positions are very different from what was conveyed to us on Friday, but in any event our position is the same".

This is despite the commission's chair, Justice Peter McClellan, telling them that this would have no bearing on the commission's findings.

He also said that the church had a right to apply to call its own witnesses and to bring its own evidence in the matter.