Church must report sex abusers

RELIGIOUS ministers in Western Australia will be compelled to reveal knowledge of child sexual abuse, even if it’s gained through the confessional, but the Catholic Church is resisting.

The WA Labor Government plans to expand mandatory reporting laws to include all religious leaders authorised to conduct religious worship, services and ceremonies.

This includes priests, ministers, imams, rabbis, pastors and Salvation Army officers.

The laws already apply in WA to doctors, teachers, nurses, midwives, police and school boarding supervisors.

Child Protection Minister Simone McGurk said Perth’s Catholic Archbishop Timothy Costelloe (pictured) had contacted the State Government saying he was concerned about child sexual abuse and understood it was an urgent issue, “but urged us not to change the laws”.

“I understand that’s the Catholic Church’s position. However, as a government, we have an obligation … to make sure children in our communities are safe,” Ms McGurk said yesterday.

Archbishop Costelloe made the plea when the WA Government issued its reaction to the child abuse royal commission.

“It will apply to any information gained through the course of their work, whether it’s in paid time or unpaid time, and it’s any suspicion that they receive,” Ms McGurk said.

“It might be from abuse being perpetrated by members of the public, members of their congregation for instance, or by other religious clergy.”

The amendment will be introduced this year. South Australia and the Northern Territory already require the reporting of abuse and Victoria has pledged to do the same, but only as part of national action.