AUSTRALIA
ABC – The World Today
TIM PALMER: The Aboriginal children’s agency that employed the convicted child sex offender Stephen Larkins has come under intense scrutiny at the Royal Commission today. Former employees of the Hunter Aboriginal Children’s Service, or HACS have been giving evidence to the national inquiry.
Larkins is in jail on child sex offences and the Royal Commission is examining how various agencies responded to allegations about his conduct. During today’s hearings a former caseworker and chairperson of the service broke down and said she was angry about what Larkins had done to her and her community.
The World Today’s Emily Bourke has been monitoring today’s hearings and joins me now. Emily, what picture is the Royal Commission developing of the way in which Steven Larkins managed to stay in contact with children?
EMILY BOURKE: Basically, Tim, it went unchallenged. People took Larkins at his word and this seems to be the pattern
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