Royal Commission
April 4, 2016
The Catholic Church accounts for more than half of this amount, with annual revenue in the vicinity of $16 billion. The rationale for a religious organisation tax exemption is that Churches use profits to provide charitable services, but the Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse has told a different story. The Royal Commission has uncovered criminal activities, corruption and incompetence in the Church. Is it time for the churches to be held accountable for how they spend their money?
The Catholic Church has again angered child abuse survivors by refusing to make public more than 2000 secret files on 63 paedophile priests. The files are a collection of confessions and complaints compiled by the Church’s insurance company since the 1990s, and contain enough legal evidence to send bishops, police and insurance types to jail. While the files have been handed to the Royal Commission, the Church has resisted calls to release the documents to the public.
Choir founder charged with child sex offence
In other news, one of the founders of Tasmania’s Rosny Children’s Choir, Ian Filby, 78, has been charged with having regular sex with an under aged choir girl in the 1980s. Police questioned the alleged offender six years ago but did not pursue their investigation.
However, the victim complained to the Child Abuse Royal Commission during its hearings in Launceston last year. The Commissioners referred the complaint to the police and Filby was charged earlier this month. Two years ago the choir organist was jailed for abusing the same girl.
http://royalcommission.com.au/time-to-rethink-church-tax-exemption-choir-founder-charged-with-child-sex-offence/
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