12 Nov 2012

Royal Commission to investigate child abuse in Australia

10:13 pm on 12 November 2012

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced the creation of a national royal commission into institutional responses to instances of child sexual abuse.

Ms Gillard had been under pressure to act following growing calls for a national inquiry into explosive allegations by a senior New South Wales police investigator that the Catholic Church covered up evidence involving paedophile priests, reports the ABC.

A number of senior Labor MPs, as well as key independents, had already voiced their support for action on a national scale.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott also declared his support for a "wide-ranging" royal commission into child sex abuse but said it should not just focus on claims involving the Catholic Church.

Ms Gillard says the Government will take the coming weeks to consult stakeholders before announcing the terms of reference.

She says the commission will look at all religious organisations, state care providers, not-for-profit bodies as well as the responses of child service agencies and police.

"The allegations that have come to light recently about child sexual abuse have been heartbreaking," Ms Gillard told reporters in Canberra.