Australia's attorneys-general will meet to discuss legislative changes following a controversial High Court decision that stated a Catholic diocese isn't liable for the sexual abuse of a five-year-old boy by a priest. The ruling, which overturned thousands of legal cases against religious orders, sparked calls for urgent action by survivors and their lawyers.
Attorneys-general offices from across Australia will meet next week to consider urgent legislative reforms after a contentious court decision that a Catholic diocese was not liable for the clerical abuse of a five-year-old boy.
The man, known in court documents as DP, has spoken for the first time and called for urgent intervention by state and territory legislatures. “Religious orders, and potentially any respondent to a claim for abuse, will potentially argue that they are not vicariously liable for the abuse perpetrated by its members where they are not strictly employees, such as Scout leaders, sporting coaches, religious teachers in schools, volunteers and other non-employment based roles,” the letter from December 3 said.
That decision was upheld by the Court of Appeal in April, following an appeal by the diocese and its lawyers.Coffey, now deceased, received a three-year suspended sentence in 1999 after being convicted of 12 counts of indecent assault on a male person under the age of 16 years, one count of indecent assault on a girl under 16 years and one count of false imprisonment.
Child Abuse Law Australia Catholic Church High Court
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
High Court Challenge and Death Threats: The Fallout of Australia's Unions and Gangland ScandalInvestigative journalist Nick McKenzie discusses the ongoing legal and illegal backlash following his exposé of collusion between powerful labor unions and criminal figures in Australia. The High Court challenge and the potential death threat against the administrator highlight the severity of the situation.
Read more »
Australia Passes Law Blocking High Court Challenge to Encrypted App OperationAustralia's parliament has passed a law preventing a High Court challenge against the legality of warrants used in Operation Ironside, a three-year operation involving the Australian Federal Police and the FBI that targeted organized crime using the ANOM encrypted app. The operation led to thousands of charges against over 390 individuals. Legal experts have raised concerns about the law's retrospective application and potential to set a dangerous precedent.
Read more »
Australia and UK Pledge Continued Support for Ukraine, Consider Peacekeeping RoleAustralian and UK Defence and Foreign Ministers met in London, reaffirming their commitment to supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia. They pledged to extend training for Ukrainian soldiers and left open the possibility of sending peacekeeping troops after the conflict ends. The meeting also emphasized the interconnectedness of global security, citing developments like the deployment of North Korean troops by Russia.
Read more »
High profile, high risk: could Mandelson help tame Donald Trump?Labour veteran Peter Mandelson is the first political appointment as ambassador to Washington in 50 years
Read more »
Biotech Investments: High Rewards, High RisksThe final trading week of the year showcased the extreme volatility of biotech investments, with Mesoblast shares soaring on FDA approval and Percheron Therapeutics plummeting after a failed trial.
Read more »
Biotech Investments: High Risk, High RewardThe final trading week of the year highlights the extreme volatility of biotech investments with Mesoblast soaring 50% on FDA approval for its rare disease treatment while Percheron Therapeutics plummeted 90% after a failed trial. This contrasts the binary nature of the industry where early investment offers high potential gains but also carries a higher risk of failure compared to later-stage investments.
Read more »