AUSTRALIA
ABC News
By Dan Cox
A police whistleblower says news the New South Wales Government is reviewing his barrister’s funding undermines the inquiry he sparked into child sexual abuse within the Hunter Valley’s Catholic Church.
The Special Commission is underway in Newcastle looking into Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox’s claims that he was told to stop investigating allegations of abuse by two priests.
The second part of the inquiry is set to start late next month.
Peter Fox says his barrister Mark Cohen has received an email from the Attorney General’s department requesting a meeting next week about his funding.
To be saying at this late stage…you may even have to represent yourself…undermines the entire inquiry itself.
“We’re probably only receiving funding that is minute compared to other Government departments that are represented, such as the NSW Police,” he said.
“To throw an additional headache at us, halfway through this inquiry when we’re about to launch into what I consider the more important aspect – that is the church’s involvement in these matters – rings really big alarm bells for me as to what is going on within the ranks of the Government and the Attorney General’s department.”
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