NSW abuse inquiry opens - Sydney Morning Herald

AAP

An inquiry into child sex abuse in the NSW Hunter region has opened in Sydney with a plea for victims to come forward and make their voices heard.

Commissioner Margaret Cunneen SC has also called for senior figures in the Catholic Church to approach the inquiry, which will examine abuse allegations in the diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.

On the opening day of Australia's first formal inquiry into child sexual abuse on Wednesday, the commissioner announced public hearings would be held from early May through to July in Newcastle.

Appearing would be Archbishop Philip Wilson and Bishop Michael Malone, as well as other high-ranking Catholic church officials.

Representatives of the NSW police, including the officer who blew the whistle on alleged cover-ups, would also appear.

In her opening statement, Commissioner Cunneen called for victims to speak up.

"I strongly encourage these people to contact the inquiry so that their voices may now be heard," she said.

"It has rightly been said that child sexual abuse is no longer a crime in which the conspiracy of silence continues to the grave."

She said the inquiry would hold separate public hearings on two issues.

Firstly, she would be inquiring into the circumstances in which Detective Inspector Peter Fox, whose allegations of a church cover-up sparked the inquiry, was asked to cease investigating certain matters.

Inspector Fox was present at Wednesday's hearing.

The second term of reference requires the commissioner to examine the extent to which officials of the Catholic Church co-operated with police, including whether any investigation had been hindered or hindered by failure to report criminal offences.

The commissioner said the sexual abuse of children was "even more abhorrent" when committed by those in authority, and the inquiry provided an important opportunity for persons who had "relevant positions within the Catholic Church to come forward and provide information about what had occurred in the past".

She mentioned that previous non-cooperation or hinderance if it occurred, need not have amounted to a criminal offence to be of relevant interest to the inquiry.

The NSW special commission is due to report on, or before, September 30.