Media Release: Statement on Release of Final Report of Royal Commission
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Media Enquiries: Shane Healey, for Archbishop Hart, 0417 928 588, media@catholic.org.au
The Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse has today released its final report, which includes a large number of recommendations, many of which will have a significant impact on the way the Catholic Church operates in Australia.
This report marks the end of the Royal Commission and the start of yet more work to make Church institutions as safe as possible for children and to deliver justice for survivors.
We thank the Commissioners and their staff for their years of hard and harrowing work undertaken during this process.
Over recent year, the Diocese of Wagga Wagga has increased staffing and resources for child protection activities and has in place a dedicated Professional Standards and Safeguarding Office to conduct training and respond to complaints against people within our organisation.
We continue to have a strong focus on protections for children and vulnerable adults and we fully support the views contained in today’s statement from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (attached).
As A church, we need to through the report and come back to our community with a comprehensive, considered response – this is what we will do.