Catholic Church says confessional law change in Tasmania won’t help stop child abuse

UPDATED: THE Catholic Church says it remains opposed to new Tasmanian laws which would compel priests to report confessions of child sexual abuse.

THE Catholic Church says it remains opposed to new Tasmanian laws which would compel priests to report confessions of child sexual abuse.

The Tasmanian Government has announced it will become the second state to adopt recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and make priests mandatory reporters of child abuse.

EXCLUSIVE: PUSH TO REMOVE SEAL OF THE CONFESSIONAL

Attorney-General Elise Archer released legislation — which contained a 21-year maximum jail term — for public comment today.

Tasmanian Attorney-General Elise Archer.

The Catholic Archbishop of Hobart Julian Porteous released a statement saying while the church has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to sexual abuse, the seal of the confessional should not be broken.

He said priests were obliged by church law to keep confessions secret.

Catholic Archbishop of Hobart Julian Porteous. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

“Removing priest-penitent privilege from the law and requiring mandatory reporting of confessions will either have no effect on child safety or will actually make children less safe,” he said.

“Firstly, perpetrators of this terrible sin very rarely seek out confession and if mandatory reporting of confessions were required they would almost certainly not confess.

“Secondly, any perpetrator who was minded to confess would almost certainly do so anonymously, so no mandatory reporting would be possible.

“Thirdly, were trust in the absolute confidentiality of confession be undermined, then any chance a perpetrator would face the evil of their actions through confession would be lost; any chance a priest-confessor might have to impress upon the penitent the seriousness of their actions, the duty to self-report to the authorities and to get professional help, etc, would be lost.”

Ms Archer said the Gvernment was steadfast in its determination to remove loopholes in the law.

“I realise it is particularly difficult for the Catholic Church, particularly their religious ministry, in relation to centuries -ld cannon law.

“But what we must do is consider is that Royal Commission took a raft of evidence in relation to this matter and came up with 409 recommendations and very strong recommendation out of that is that no member of the community carrying out their daily duties or functions should be immune from the need to report child sexual abuse.”

Labor’s Justice spokeswoman Ella Haddad said Labor supported the proposed legislation.

“Everyone in our community has a role to play in preventing sexual abuse of children,” she said.

“Health professionals and teachers are required by law to report child sexual abuse and religious leaders should be subject to the same requirements given they hold positions of trust in our communities.”

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said her party also strongly supported the changes.

“For centuries children have suffered at the hands of the Catholic Church, and Catholic priests who have preyed on children have escaped justice,” she said.

“Those days are long over.”