[Greens-Media] Media Release: Premier's half-baked inquiry is no answer to abuse

[David Shoebridge]

Media Release: Premier's half-baked inquiry is no answer to abuse
9 November 2012
 
The Premier's last minute announcement of a narrow inquiry into police handling of clerical sexual abuse cases in the Hunter is an insult to victims and fails to address the real issue, which is the Church's handling of criminal sexual abuse in its ranks.
 
Greens MP and Justice Spokesperson David Shoebridge said:
 
"The Premier's inquiry is a decoy.  The subject of any inquiry needs to be the Church not the police.
 
"If the Premier wanted to design an inquiry to protect the Church leadership, including Cardinal Pell, and limit the short-term damage to the Church then the inquiry's terms of reference would look exactly like this.
 
"For the Premier to limit his inquiry to the police's handling of sexual abuse claims in the Hunter region shows that he still doesn't understand the full extent of the problem.
 
The crime of sexual abuse of children was not limited to the Hunter and it is just extraordinary that the focus of this inquiry will be the police's handling of abuse and not the actions of the Church.
 
"Both the Premier and Joe Hockey have today shown extreme insensitivity to the victims of clerical sexual abuse.  
 
"This is a half-baked inquiry which will not silence those victims and survivors who are calling for justice from the State and the Church," Mr Shoebridge said.
 
Media contact: 9230 3030 | 0433 753 376
 
 

 
David Shoebridge
Greens MP in the NSW Legislative Council
P: (02) 9230 3030 |Media: 0433 753 376 |T: @ShoebridgeMLC ( http://twitter.com/#!/shoebridgemlc )
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