Call for joint effort on abuse

THE man who led the Catholic church's review of its response to child abuse says governments must agree on full co-operation.

THE man who led the Catholic church's review of its response to child abuse says the federal and state governments must today agree on full co-operation on the royal commission because the cover-up of these crimes is so widespread.

University of Sydney law professor Patrick Parkinson was involved in reviews of the Catholic Towards Healing process over a decade, but recently withdrew his support for the church's leadership.

"They had responsibility for these issues and they were not willing to confront their own people, their own priests, to address it," Professor Parkinson said.

Today's COAG meeting will discuss draft terms of reference for the royal commission, due to start work early next year, as well as what co-operation the federal government can expect from the states.

Western Australia has declined to support calls for a joint federal-state inquiry and without this, Professor Parkinson said, it might be impossible "to ensure the full powers to investigate the matters the public wants to investigate".

It was uncertain whether the commonwealth alone had sufficient legislative powers to investigate allegations of widespread and entrenched corruption across the country.

The South Australian and Queensland governments have also said they will co-operate with the royal commission, but will not provide any funding.

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has pledged his full support for the royal commission.

Next month the state will hold its own special inquiry into allegations surrounding a police investigation into Catholic child sex abuse.