FORMER deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer has said the Vatican should be completely open with its actions during the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse.
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Also a former Australian Ambassador to the Holy See, Mr Fischer spoke at the Sir Henry Bolte Lecture at Narmbool on Friday.
“There has to be absolute transparency (from the Catholic Church). There has to be never, ever again parish-swapping of bad eggs, and various apologies from the various religions – be it Knox Grammar in Sydney or the places in Ballarat – have got to be absolutely genuine,” he said.
On the day the royal commission ended its first round of public hearings in Ballarat, Mr Fischer reflected on what the years of abuse and then current investigation had done to the city.
“The last month has been a very, very difficult month for Ballarat. I’ve seen this with other centres and other issues I mentioned at the start of my speech. You have to proactively plan ahead and bounce back,” he said.
“That’s not to take away one moment from the work and the evidence of the royal commission, which must go through to its completion, but on the ground, in the first week of spring, there should be something carefully planned and discussed with stakeholders, to say Ballarat is back.”
Mr Fischer said a ‘bounce back’ could also help victims.
“Then, through that process, say: ‘Never again. We’re moving forward’,” he said.
His speech largely con-
centrated on his recent book on Sir John Monash, and the man’s ability to move away from the attrition-based warfare common in World War I.
That focus on saving lives made Mr Fischer a star all over the world last year, when former Daily Show correspondent John Oliver interviewed him and John Howard about their gun control scheme in the 1990s.
“He came right out to my ‘ranch’ and said he could not believe there was a ‘rancher’ who supported gun control,” he said.
“I remain proud – it took a lot of skin off my backside to help make a contribution to the John Howard gun law harmonisation and reform – it has made this country a much safer country.”
alex.hamer@fairfaxmedia.com.au