A SPECIAL Commission of Inquiry will
be held into allegations that police mishandled child sexual abuse
investigations into the Catholic Church in the Hunter, Premier Barry
O'Farrell announced yesterday.
It comes after serving police officer Detective Chief Inspector
Peter Fox alleged he was taken off Catholic paedophilia investigations
after being outspoken, and that senior church figures covered up serious
sexual abuse allegations for decades.
After resisting calls for a
royal commission into the church for months, Mr O'Farrell acted
following an open letter from Insp Fox.
But the Premier gave no
guarantees the inquiry would hold public hearings - and Insp Fox and the
Opposition last night called for a much broader inquiry.
Insp Fox said a special commission alone was a slap in the face to victims.
Mr
O'Farrell's move came after Insp Fox gave an emotional interview on
ABC's Lateline on Thursday, when he alleged: "An archbishop, a bishop
and a priest are implicated in cover-up.
"There's something very wrong when you have so many paedophile
priests operating in such a small area for such an extended period of
time with immunity."
Yesterday Insp Fox claimed there had been an attempt to muzzle him.
"I was called by a superior reminding me of the NSW Police policy not to talk to the media," Insp Fox said.
Former
police colleague and now Nationals MP Troy Grant last night said there
needed to be a national royal commission into abuse in the Catholic
Church and said Cardinal George Pell should quit his position as head of
the church in Australia, unless he took appropriate action.
"It's
unacceptable for him to remain at the head of the Catholic church while
he continues to fail the victims of sexual abuse by priests," Mr Grant
said.
Insp Fox alleged he was taken off an investigation into the
abuse of up to 80 young girls in the '50s and '60s by former Catholic
priest Denis McAlinden - and of all investigations concerning the
Catholic church in 2010.
McAlinden died in 2005.
Police
last night said Insp Fox had been removed from investigations only
because the taskforce was being run in another command area.
Police
also said they believed his allegations of church cover-ups had been
investigated thoroughly and "as a whole the church has co-operated with
police".
Catholic Bishop Bill Wright, from the Diocese of
Maitland-Newcastle, said he appreciated the "anger and frustration" of
Insp Fox but "that anger and frustration ... does not entitle him to
remain unchallenged when he makes statements about the present-day
situation that are simply not correct".
The special commission will be headed by Margaret Cunneen SC.
Mr
O'Farrell argued it would have all the powers of a royal commission,
including the ability to subpoena documents and compel witnesses, but Ms
Cunneen would be asked not to delve into matters which might jeopardise
police investigations.
"Concerns have been raised about both the
police handling of investigations as well as possible interference by
the church in those investigations," Mr O'Farrell said.
"These matters have been raised by a senior serving officer and deserve to be fully investigated."
Insp Fox said it was not enough. "I really would have hoped for a full royal commission," he said.
He said he had already seen how such an inquiry could be little more than a bureaucratic cover-up.
Insp Fox said the inquiry should not be restricted to the Hunter.
"The church moves these offenders from parish to parish. It's a Band-Aid approach to look at one small area."