Abuse inquiry ‘should investigate former PM for pedophilia’

By Sarah Martin
Australian
October 20, 2015

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/abuse-inquiry-should-investigate-former-pm-for-pedophilia/story-fngburq5-1227576047120?sv=46c6c83d1658c1a9655599687fdaba89

A Liberal senator has told a parliamentary inquiry that a list of 28 “prominent” pedophiles, which allegedly includes a former Australian prime minister and members of the judiciary, should be investigated by the royal commission into child sexual abuse.

NSW senator Bill Heffernan said he had been advised that the list of names, which he claims was uncovered during the Wood Royal Commission into the NSW Police Force and given to him by a police officer, was outside the scope of the commission’s inquiry.

Speaking under the protection of parliamentary privilege in a Senate estimates hearing this afternoon, Senator Heffernan asked Attorney General George Brandis to consider pursuing the “institution of the law” through the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

He said “disturbing” documents he had given to the commission chief executive Phillip Reed included a list of 28 alleged paedophiles, which he claimed had not been investigated by the Wood Royal Commission because of concern it may tarnish the reputation of the judiciary.

“We have in Australia sadly a compromise at the highest of levels. There is a former prime minister on this list and it is a police document.