A CALL has been made for the Royal Commission to hold a stand-alone special commission of inquiry into historic cases of sexual abuse in Bathurst. Greens MP David Shoebridge said on Wednesday the Commission needed to consider alternative forms of justice given it would not hold a public hearing and investigation into historic sex abuse cases in Bathurst schools. Earlier this year the Commission said a public hearing was not viable for Bathurst due to ongoing criminal proceedings which could be prejudiced. Mr Shoebridge, who also the Greens’ police and justice spokesman, came to Bathurst in March to meet victims, their families and the community. The meeting was united in its concerns about a lack of transparency and the fact that despite the St Stanislaus’ matters amounting to the biggest brief of historic sexual abuse ever served by the DPP, they had not caught the eye of a commission which had been established four years earlier. Having written to the Commissioner, Mr Shoebridge said the decision not to incorporate Bathurst as a case study was made early on, and was one of the commission’s rare “missteps”. “Given the timing of the Royal Commission it's now impossible to revisit it,” he said. Mr Shoebridge said he accepted the commission had finite resources and needed to complete its report. “But there is a deep sense of real injustice in the greater Bathurst community and this must not be the end of the road. I am continuing to talk to the commission, victims and survivors, and looking at alternative forms of justice. “One of these is a stand alone special commission of inquiry. The Hunter received this and the Central West deserves no less.” When it comes to justice for the victim,s Mr Shoebridge said there was “a lot more to be done” – with the first step a stand-alone inquiry. The Royal Commission provided an opportunity for victims to speak about the abuse they experienced, and the impact on their lives, outside the challenging police and court process. Mr Shoebridge also noted one victim’s criminal case against his abuser took almost 10 years to complete, adding there was a pattern of delaying cases, compounded by suppression orders issued at the request of defendants. “The Royal Commission is the appropriate body to look into the reasons for and impact of delays,” he said.
STILL FIGHTING: Greens MP David Shoebridge pictured in Bathurst in March with Carol Nielsen, whose son Tor was the whistle-blower on the historic sex abuse at St Stanislaus' College
A CALL has been made for the Royal Commission to hold a stand-alone special commission of inquiry into historic cases of sexual abuse in Bathurst.
Greens MP David Shoebridge said on Wednesday the Commission needed to consider alternative forms of justice given it would not hold a public hearing and investigation into historic sex abuse cases in Bathurst schools.
Earlier this year the Commission said a public hearing was not viable for Bathurst due to ongoing criminal proceedings which could be prejudiced.
Mr Shoebridge, who also the Greens’ police and justice spokesman, came to Bathurst in March to meet victims, their families and the community.
The meeting was united in its concerns about a lack of transparency and the fact that despite the St Stanislaus’ matters amounting to the biggest brief of historic sexual abuse ever served by the DPP, they had not caught the eye of a commission which had been established four years earlier.
Having written to the Commissioner, Mr Shoebridge said the decision not to incorporate Bathurst as a case study was made early on, and was one of the commission’s rare “missteps”.
“Given the timing of the Royal Commission it's now impossible to revisit it,” he said.
Mr Shoebridge said he accepted the commission had finite resources and needed to complete its report.
“But there is a deep sense of real injustice in the greater Bathurst community and this must not be the end of the road. I am continuing to talk to the commission, victims and survivors, and looking at alternative forms of justice.
“One of these is a stand alone special commission of inquiry. The Hunter received this and the Central West deserves no less.”
When it comes to justice for the victim,s Mr Shoebridge said there was “a lot more to be done” – with the first step a stand-alone inquiry.
The Royal Commission provided an opportunity for victims to speak about the abuse they experienced, and the impact on their lives, outside the challenging police and court process.
Mr Shoebridge also noted one victim’s criminal case against his abuser took almost 10 years to complete, adding there was a pattern of delaying cases, compounded by suppression orders issued at the request of defendants.
“The Royal Commission is the appropriate body to look into the reasons for and impact of delays,” he said.
