AUSTRALIA
WA Today
January 12, 2013
Barney Zwartz
Analysis
TRUTH, justice and redress: bold promises for a royal commission, but ones Australians have been longing to hear when it comes to the scandal of child sex abuse.
At first sight, victims and their supporters are greatly heartened by Friday’s announcements: both the commissioners and the terms of reference seem excellent. The reasons why the inquiry was necessary – the suicides and premature deaths, the plight of survivors, the concealment and protection of predators, the barriers to justice, the need for law reform and more – are all recognised.
The government has promised the necessary resources, including for advocacy groups, given a long and extendable time frame, but balanced that with a request for an interim report after 18 months and set up a mechanism by which police can investigate and prosecute as the commission keeps working.
In some ways the most vital work the six commissioners will do over their three-year mandate will take place in the first two months, as they decide how they will operate and who they will hear. The commission has two mutually exclusive imperatives: to be as thorough as possible, yet also timely.
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