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April 17th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda The Victorian government has come under fire for ordering a parliamentary inquiry to investigate alleged child sex abuse by the clergy, rather than a royal commission.
But the mother of one abuse victim says she is happy the government is finally dealing with the issue.
The inquiry announced by Premier Ted Baillieu on Tuesday will be conducted by the state parliament’s existing Family and Community Development Committee.
“We regard child abuse as abhorrent,” Mr Baillieu told reporters.
A police report linking dozens of suicides to sexual abuse by Catholic clergymen will also be passed on to the Victorian coroner for further investigation.
One of the inquiry’s main lines of investigation will be into the handling of accusations against organisations dealing with children, including the Catholic Church.
Melbourne’s Catholic Archbishop Denis Hart has denied the church covered up sexual abuse by its clergy.
“The pain of victims has gone on for too long,” Mr Baillieu said.
Broken Rights volunteer Wayne Chamley said he was disappointed the government had not set up a royal commission to investigate both proven cases and allegations of sexual abuse.
“It’s very disappointing that a parliamentary inquiry is not going to have the teeth to get to the bottom of what has been going on for the last 40 years at least,” Mr Chamley told reporters.
Attorney-General Robert Clark said the government believed a parliamentary inquiry would be less intrusive and legalistic than a royal commission and enable victims to feel more comfortable in coming forward and telling their stories.
The committee would have the power to compel witnesses to give evidence and produce documents, he said.
“All aspects of abuse and its implications will be open to examination by the committee,” Mr Clark said.
Chrissie Foster, whose daughter died of a drug overdose after being abused by a Catholic priest, welcomed the inquiry.
“This is a wonderful day to see the government stepping in to make something happen, that the church will be held accountable for what it’s done in the past to children, Ms Foster said.
Her husband Anthony Foster said there were several deficiencies with the inquiry’s terms of reference, which he hoped would be addressed to allow a full and proper investigation.
“Another concern with the inquiry that’s been announced is whether it will have the real bite to get to all the documents that are necessary.”
The inquiry is charged with examining the policies of religious and other non-government organisations relating to allegations of criminal abuse of children.
It is required to report to the parliament by April 30 next year.
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