Victorian child abuse inquiry could be wound back

KLIK

13-11-2012
The Age
Josh Gordon



Victoria's  parliamentary inquiry into the sexual abuse of children by members of the clergy could be wound back once a Commonwealth royal commission is established.

Premier Ted Baillieu said he did not believe the sweeping royal commission into the abuse of children announced on Monday by Prime Minister Julia Gillard would have gone ahead if his government had not announced its own inquiry.
"Without the Victorian parliamentary inquiry, there would not have been, I don't believe, the national focus on these issues which have been there in the last few months," Mr Baillieu said. "I think that has been critical to ensuring we do have a national inquiry, a nationally based royal commission."

 But he did not rule out the possibility that Victoria's parliamentary inquiry could be subsumed by the royal commission, which will be a broad national inquiry covering a range of institutions.

Mr Baillieu said the parliamentary inquiry, announced in April this year following a recommendation by the Cummins review into child welfare, would continue working until the terms of reference, commissioners and reporting timetable had been established for the royal commission, so that there was no vacuum left.

"That's obviously going to take some time, so I would expect that the parliamentary inquiry in Victoria would continue its work until such time as the royal commission and a timetable is established," he said.

"But it will be very much a matter for the parliamentary inquiry, and in saying that I think it is important that the parliamentary inquiry in considering what work it continues obviously gives some consideration to those who have made submissions, those who have been witnesses and those who are seeking to be witnesses at hearings, as to how they would wish to proceed."


Liberal MP and inquiry committee chairwoman Georgie Crozier said the  inquiry's work had brought to light important revelations that were key to the federal government’s decision to call a royal commission.

"From our part, a significant amount of work has already been undertaken and there is more we can achieve but we obviously need further detail of the federal inquiry including its terms of reference before making any changes to our work ,'' she said.

with  Richard Willingham