Oh look I'm sorry quigs Rudd's position is the same as Abbott's
Tony Abbott says the Coalition would support a government-backed royal commission into child sexual abuse, providing it inquires beyond the Catholic Church.
His move came as former prime minister Kevin Rudd said he backed calls for a royal commission on child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church if state inquiries required bolstering.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard is considering calls for a federal inquiry but declined today to respond to the growing clamour for action as cabinet minister Penny Wong said any inquiry should be “full, frank and fearless”.
Mr Abbott said the coalition ‘‘would be prepared to support’’ a wide-ranging royal commission investigation into the sexual abuse of children providing it was both proposed by the government and was not limited to one institution .
Advertisement
''It's clear that for a long period there was insufficient awareness and insufficient vigilance when it came to predatory behaviour by people in positions of authority over children,’’ he said in a statement on Monday.
''A lot of terrible things have been done, and a lot of people have suffered deeply.
''For these reasons, if the government were to propose a royal commission to investigate the sexual abuse of children, it is something the coalition would be prepared to support.’’
Mr Rudd said a nationwide royal commission must be considered regardless of current state inquiries in NSW, Queensland and Victoria. Mr Abbott said any commission should inquire beyond the Catholic Church.
Mr Rudd said in a statement: ‘‘Like many Australians I have been deeply disturbed by recent statements by Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox of the NSW Police and by Deputy Police Commissioner Graham Ashton of the Victorian Police concerning institutional resistance to investigations of cases of child abuse.
‘‘Any form of child abuse is intolerable at any time and under any circumstance.’’
Mr Rudd said he supported the Carmody Commission of inquiry, currently underway in Queensland, investigating that state’s child protection sytstem.
He also backed the decision by NSW Premier Bary O’Farrell to convene a special commission to investigate allegations of abuse by Catholic clergy in the Hunter region, and a current Victorian parliamentary inquiry into the handling of child abuse by the Church.
But Mr Rudd said these may not be enough.
‘‘If either of these independent inquiries conclude that there is evidence of institutional resistance on the part of the Catholic Church or that more resources are needed to deal with these matters, then I believe this would constitute a clear case for a national Royal Commission,’’ he said.
‘‘Under any such Royal Commission, there should be an open examination of what has occurred in the past; what further reforms are necessary for the future as well as addressing the key question of appropriate compensation for victims.’’
He said other institutions, apart from the Catholic church, should be looked at it warranted.
‘‘Consideration should also be given to other institutions of care as well where there have been a pattern of allegations of systematic abuse.’’
Read more:
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...urch-abbott-20121112-2976e.html#ixzz2YY2Sv5ej