New laws to fine-tune
child abuse hearings

New legislation has been introduced into Parliament to allow one or more of the six Royal Commissioners to conduct hearings in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
   The Royal Commissions Act 1902 currently only permits hearings to be conducted by all members of a multi-member Commission or by a quorum. 
   Prime Minister, Julia Gillard said the new amendment would assist the Commission to distribute its hearing work efficiently when it was appropriate.
   “The other purpose of the Bill is to allow the Commissioners to receive information from those affected by child abuse at less formal ‘private sessions’,” Ms Gillard said.
Changes to age-old rules

   “For many, telling their stories of child sexual abuse will be very traumatic and these private sessions will mean that people affected by this crime can voluntarily participate in the Royal Commission in a less formal setting than a hearing.” 
   Ms Gillard said under the changes people attending a private session would not be required to give evidence under oath and their information would be used in a way that did not disclose their identity. 
   “The Commissioners could also authorise people to support a person attending at a private session,” she said.
   “The Royal Commission is as much about assisting victims of past abuse to be heard, as it is about investigating systemic failures to prevent future abuse.
   “The proposed amendments will provide similar protection to participants who give information at a private session as would apply if they were giving evidence at a formal hearing,” Ms Gillard said.
   More information on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is available from this PS News link
Edition 349, 19 February 2013
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